Rosebank House Extra Care

Murphy Philipps was instructed by Ashley House to develop an extra care scheme located adjacent to the Fryatt Hospital and Mayflower Medical Centre in Harwich, Essex.

The concept was to create independent living for older people, with facilities to provide greater care for individuals as the need may arise over time. Therefore, a key part of the brief was flexibility to allow for simple adaption at a later date.

The development consists of 48 single-bedroom and 12 two-bedroom Extra Care apartments with external balconies.

The site is level with neighbouring buildings, generally two-storey in height. The three-storey element, therefore, required careful consideration to agree on an acceptable scale in keeping with its surroundings. 

To the rear of the site, there is a large group of mature trees, some of which have preservation orders. In response the site layout was developed to ensure these were retained, and their location assists with privacy screening to adjacent residential properties.

The design is based on a central social hub to encourage interaction and activities among the residents. It provides a focal point at the main entrance, enjoying views over the landscaped courtyard. Additional social breakout spaces, located along the circulation routes, break up the corridors and encourage more informal interactions. These rest points offer varying views and natural light, helping users navigate the building while creating a sense of place.