Heath House
The Brief
Heath House is a lifetime accessible family home designed for our client, supporting complex care needs while creating a warm, uplifting space for everyday living.
Working closely with Arkhi Care, the family’s brief focused on providing an environment capable of accommodating 24-hour care, specialist equipment, and evolving accessibility needs, without compromising the feeling of home.
Alongside the practical requirements, the family were keen that the design reflected Alex’s personality and interests, particularly his love of swimming, which they wished to integrate into daily life as both a therapeutic and enjoyable activity.
Above all, the home needed to feel inclusive, a place where Alex could thrive, and where family life could unfold naturally, free from the atmosphere of a medical setting.
The Challenge
The challenge lay in creating a house that could support complex care needs while preserving the warmth, comfort, and normality of a family home. The design needed to integrate specialist equipment, generous circulation spaces, and accessible facilities in a way that felt discreet and unobtrusive.
Equally important was addressing the needs of carers without allowing care functions to dominate the living environment.
The project required a thoughtful balance: ensuring Alex received the highest level of care and accessibility, while allowing the house to function as a welcoming, nurturing home for the entire family.
The Solution
Heath House was designed as a carefully zoned yet cohesive home that places family life at its heart. The layout provides clear and sensitive separation between care-focused areas and shared living spaces, ensuring that clinical functions are efficiently supported while preserving warm, domestic environments for everyday living.
Specialist equipment is seamlessly integrated within the architecture, maintaining dignity and ease of use without visually dominating the interiors. Spacious circulation routes support mobility and care needs, while private spaces offer comfort, calm, and independence for Alex.
A dedicated swimming facility is incorporated as a natural extension of the home, not as a clinical therapy space, but as a joyful, everyday feature that supports wellbeing and family interaction.
Heath House demonstrates how accessible architecture can support complex medical needs while fostering a sense of belonging, comfort, and normal family life, creating a home that grows with Alex and continues to serve the whole family for years to come.
