Ainsley Gommon Architects

Client

North Wales Housing Association with Gwynedd Council

Location

Bangor, Gwynedd

Value

£8.35 million

Date Completed

Winter 2014

Development Overview

The Cae Garnedd Extra Care development is located in a semi-rural suburb of Bangor, providing flexible, affordable accommodation for older people in the local area. 42 one and two bedroom apartments are supported by a variety of shared facilities including a centralised catered dining area and resident’s lounge to encourage social integration and community participation for the residents.

Due to the sensitive nature of the site within close proximity to the village church, the design process involved intensive consultation with the local planning authority, local residents and stakeholders, and benefited from two reviews with the Design Commission for Wales to ensure a compatible and considerate design evolved for the site.

Located within a mature wooded landscape, the layout of the BREEAM Excellent building locates the main communal and amenity spaces to the south of the site, allowing these primary spaces to catch the sun throughout the day and benefit from passive solar gain. The massing of the apartments around this centralised communal space has been carefully designed to reduce the scale of the building and the use of slate, render and timber ensures that the design remains sympathetic to the palette of local materials.

Located in a key location adjacent to Ysbyty Gwynedd, the bespoke scheme was developed with North Wales Housing Association in partnership with Gwynedd Council and K&C Construction. The scheme was awarded an LABC Cymru Regional Award for Building Excellence in 2015.