SPECIALIST ARCHITECTURE
Extensive care sector experience The key benefit of this approach for Sue Ryder was that it would allow it to work with a contractor which had extensive experience in the care sector. The selected contractor for this development was Seddon Construction, which was brought on board at an early stage in the design development (prior to the submission of a planning application). In this way Sue Ryder hoped to avail itself of Seddon’s construction expertise to improve buildability and ensure cost certainty as the designs were developed. Sue Ryder, JDDK Architects, and Seddon, worked
together very closely throughout the design process to ensure that all aspects of the design had been considered, and that the finished building fully reflected the client brief.
Design work for the new Sue Ryder Neurological Care Centre Lancashire commenced in 2017, and construction work was completed in February 2020. The centre has 40 bedrooms over three floors, each with its own en-suite shower room; each bedroom opens onto the gardens, either via its own terrace area on the ground floor, or with large opening windows on the upper floors.
Rehabilitation bungalows There are an additional four rehabilitation bungalows on the site, to meet the needs of clients at various stages of their rehabilitation journey. The building has been designed to maximise the views out towards the landscaped gardens, whilst also increasing the levels of daylight within – this is key to enabling residents to understand and successfully navigate their environment (as mentioned previously, this relationship was very much lacking in Cuerden Hall). Another critical aspect of the design is the avoidance of any feeling of isolation,
Table 1: ‘Pros and cons’ of two different ‘historical’ and more current-day architectural approaches. Sue Ryder Neurological Care Centre Lancashire £8,000,000
Contract value
Construction contract period 17 months Brief description Type of contract Setting Pros
New-build 40-bed plus four apartments to replace the 18th-century Cuerden Hall Design and build contract, with contractor appointed before planning application lodged Construction work was on a new, vacant site
Quality: Because the site was vacant, and remote from Cuerden Hall, it meant that existing residents and staff were not inconvenienced by the construction work.
Cost/Time: This separation also meant that the work could progress on site in a much more straightforward manner – there was no need to phase the works to ensure the continuation of services, and this can often be a more efficient way to build, as well as having cost benefits.
Quality/Cost: The contractor was on board at an early stage in the process, which meant that the overall approach was more collaborative, and, by the time work started on site, the contractor was fully aware of the detail of the project and had been able to plan for this.
Quality/Time: A new-build approach gave Sue Ryder the opportunity to build in more energy- efficient measures, such as improved efficiency heating systems that will both reduce the ongoing costs to the client, and are more ‘environmentally-friendly’.
Quality: As everything within the building was new, it gave Sue Ryder the opportunity to tailor all aspects of the care centre to meet its current and future needs.
Cost: Comparing construction contract periods against cost, it would appear that this project was more efficient in terms of rate of build, with the contractor able to progress the works on site in a more effective manner.
Quality: JDDK Architects were, to an extent, provided with a blank canvas on which to develop a design that addressed all the needs of Sue Ryder; this made it a slightly simpler task to address any areas of concern, as there were much fewer constraints on the overall proposals. The end-result is a bright and airy building that positively responds to the needs of residents and staff, and helps to promote rehabilitation and independence.
Cons
Time/Cost: The search for a suitable new site took a considerable amount of time; Sue Ryder began looking at options in 2012, but was not able to procure a site until 2017. This extensive search also had financial implications for Sue Ryder, particularly as various alternatives were investigated prior to purchasing the site in Eastway, Preston.
Time/Quality: The experience of residents and staff of their previous building, Cuerden Hall, was so different to purpose-built neurological care facilities that it made it slightly more challenging for them to advise on their preferences for the new-build, as there was a more limited frame of reference.
28 Health Estate Journal October 2020
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