SPECIALIST ARCHITECTURE
22 residents in single en-suite bedrooms. The original building was designed by a different firm of architects, with construction completed in 2004. At that time it was the only purpose-built specialist neurological centre in Scotland, and although it set the standard for care for people with neurological conditions, it gradually became apparent that additional space was required within the original configuration. Sue Ryder consistently had a waiting list of 25 people or more who were hoping to avail themselves of the expertise and high quality care that Dee View Court could offer.
In 2014 JDDK Architects began to look at the existing site in Aberdeen to ascertain whether the building could be adapted, extended, and refurbished, to help Sue Ryder address its challenges in terms of care provision, as well as helping to fulfil the unmet support needs in the Aberdeen area.
The increased bed provision would also help address wider social issues of people being inappropriately placed in hospitals or care homes, by consequently freeing up beds within these buildings – this has become a key consideration over recent years, and it has been brought into sharp focus recently, with the COVID-19 challenges highlighting the constant need to ensure that hospitals are able to act as efficiently as possible for those most in need.
Increased bedroom provision The brief for the new building increased the bedroom provision by 13 to 35 en-suite bedrooms, and also included the addition of six apartments which would act as rehabilitation accommodation for residents who were aiming to transition back to independent living. From an early stage in the concept design the new bedrooms were formed as an annexe to the existing building linked by a glazed
The design of Dee View Court facilitates ‘slow-stream’ rehabilitation, which takes place over a longer period of time.
corridor – again, as in Lancashire, a key driver behind JDDK Architects’ design was to bring light in and create views out. An added complexity in Aberdeen was the significant changes in level across the site, which meant that the new annexe was carved into the hillside, requiring extensive retaining walls.
Once the decision had been made to extend, the Dee View Court project was able to get off the ground much more quickly than in Lancashire, primarily by avoiding the need to find a new site. The decision to extend did, however, introduce other complexities that were not a consideration in Lancashire, a key one being how Sue Ryder would continue to offer high quality care within a building where extensive construction work was being carried out. This requirement necessitated a phased approach to the construction, which had to be strategically considered from the outset. The procurement route adopted was also different; whereas in Lancashire a Design and Build approach was adopted, in Aberdeen a more traditional approach
was implemented, where the contractor tendered on a full set of detailed information. The key reason behind this was the possibility that tendering contractors may include a high contingency for risk if the project was priced on a Design and Build basis (there are always significant unknowns associated with opening up existing buildings), and that better value could potentially be achieved by the client taking on board a greater element of risk.
Competitive tender
The contractor in Aberdeen was selected through competitive tender once the detailed designs for the building had been completed, and therefore had no input into the development of the design; its role was purely one of construction. Construction work at Dee View Court began in July 2018, and was completed in November 2019 – the building is now fully operational.
Although the ambitions for both Lancashire and Aberdeen were very similar, operationally a key difference is that in Lancashire, Sue Ryder now has 14 dedicated post-acute rehabilitation beds; this is something that Sue Ryder is finding is becoming more and more important to commissioners. These ‘rehab’ bedrooms alongside the therapy suite provide space and facilities for residents who are medically stable, but still require specialist therapy to aid their recovery, so that they can hopefully be discharged home following their intensive rehabilitation programme.
If the local needs change in Aberdeen, and post-acute rehabilitation becomes a requirement, this adjustment to Dee View Court is possible, as hoists are included to all bedrooms, with space allowed to ensure optimum manoeuvrability of equipment.
30 Health Estate Journal October 2020
Aberdeen was driven by local need and the facilities that already exist in the area. The design of Dee View Court facilitates ‘slow-stream’ rehabilitation, which takes place over a longer period of time. If the local needs change, and post-acute rehabilitation became a requirement, this adjustment to Dee View Court is possible, as hoists are included to all bedrooms, and space has been allowed to ensure optimum manoeuvrability of equipment.
©Sally Ann Norman
©Sally Ann Norman
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