Homes for Life: Designing Accessible Homes and Neighbourhoods

How can homes and neighbourhood design support healthy ageing and place-based social inclusivity?

By 2050, a quarter of the United Kingdom’s population will be aged 65 or over, with the North East ageing more rapidly than the UK as a whole. This shift is also reflected in projected household growth: by 2039, more than 70% is expected to come from households with someone aged 60 or older. Beyond existing accessible and adaptable standards in the Building Regulations (Part M), there is therefore an increasing need for homes that can respond to changing household needs and (dis)abilities, offer greater choice for older people with diverse needs and aspirations, and enable people not only to age in place, but to live well as part of intergenerational and socially inclusive neighbourhoods.

Consequently, there is growing recognition of the importance of design standards and guidance that support healthy ageing, diverse needs, and places in which people can flourish throughout the household lifecycle. In 2024, the Older People’s Housing Taskforce therefore recommended the immediate adoption of accessible and adaptable standards for all new housing, the promotion of age-friendly design through guidance such as the National Model Design Code, and a review of design criteria in affordable homes programmes to strengthen age-friendly design.

Housing associations and their architects have long been at the forefront of developing housing that meets diverse needs. This event will explore how design can support healthy ageing, respond to new accessibility standards, and create more inclusive neighbourhoods.

A guided tour of the Housing Standardisation: The Architecture of Regulations and Design Standards exhibition will be available at 16.30 for anyone wishing to see the exhibition before the event.

Speakers

Rose Gilroy FHEA FCIH FRSA FAcSS is Professor of Ageing, Policy and Planning, School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape, Newcastle University. Rose’s research explores how home, and neighbourhood support quality of life in later life. As an academic practice situated in planning, she is interested in the transactional relationship between people and their place that embraces how people individually and collectively may influence their environments. Her work frequently uses an everyday life framework to explore strategies for survival or flourishing. She is committed to change and much of her work is action-oriented, and is a founding director of the Future Homes Alliance CIC.

Clair Sanders is a RIBA Chartered Architect and Director at JDDK Architects, based in Newcastle Upon Tyne. Since joining JDDK in 2006, she has developed a longstanding personal interest in residential design to form a specialism in the design and delivery of general needs and specialist housing. Clair is passionate about functional design which helps people, places and communities thrive, and how the detail and quality of the home environment can impact our quality of life, be it through spatial, sustainability or neighbourhood factors. This is supported by extensive experience assisting private and public housing clients to meet and exceed current residential design standards including Building for a Heathy Life, HAPPI, Nationally Described Space Standards, and Wheelchair Housing Design Guide. Her recent projects include developing sustainable approaches to small scale infill development for South Tyneside Council, promoting housing innovation through accessible typology design for Newcastle City Council, and interpreting housing standards on a site wide level through developments for several local RSL’s including Thirteen, Karbon and Believe. Clair is a participant of the Housing Standardisation in the North East exhibition and research-led project.

Henrietta Pissarro is an Associate Architect at P+HS where her passion and focus lie on the relationship between people and place, with a particular interest in later living and care environments. She is a strong advocate for intergenerational living and the positive impact it can have on wellbeing and community resilience. Henrietta champions high-quality, inclusive design that exceeds expectations. Alongside her project work, she is a STEM Ambassador supporting young people’s engagement with architecture. She is currently delivering children’s homes, specialist living, affordable and general needs residential schemes of varying scales in the North East.

Will Clarke is a chartered architect at P+HS Architects, working across the residential and healthcare sectors with a strong focus on user-centred design, community-led development and placemaking. He places value on thoughtful engagement and design decisions that reflect how residents actually use and experience their neighbourhoods. Will has been closely involved in the Clasper Village redevelopment from the initial bid stage through to its current position. The project aims to create a safe, walkable, and socially connected place to live within Gateshead’s urban core, prioritising pedestrians, and shared spaces over traditional vehicle-led layouts.

About the series
The Housing Standardisation events form part of the Housing Standardisation in the North East exhibition at the Farrell Centre. The events are organised by Dr Dhruv Sookhoo and Prof Sam Jacoby, and are supported by the Manchester School of Architecture (AHEAD) and the Royal College of Art (AHRC Impact Acceleration Account and Research Impact Development Scheme).

Image credit: JDDK Architects courtesy Sally Ann Norman Photography