<
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2025-11-06/london-senior-housing-project-to-combat-loneliness-wins-riba-s-stirling-prize>
"Britain’s best new building is more than just a senior living center. The
Appleby Blue Almshouse, which won this year’s prestigious Royal Institute of
British Architects Stirling Prize, brings one of the UK’s oldest forms of
social housing to the modern era by incorporating designs that tackle
loneliness and social isolation among older adults.
The project is a modern enlarged version of an almshouse, a kind of charity-run
social housing for low-income seniors that dates back to medieval times.
Traditionally almshouses are tucked away on side streets or built in the
countryside, with the idea of offering residents a quiet retreat from society.
But leaders behind Appleby Blue felt that can leave people feeling disconnected
from their communities.
The updated concept by Witherford Watson Mann Architects begins with its
placement: The Appleby Blue Almshouse is located along a busy street in the
former warehouse district of Bermondsey near central London. Alongside 57 units
for adults over 64 years old, architects also designed a number of social rooms
that invite residents and the larger community to connect over shared meals,
organized activities and chance encounters.
To be eligible to live here, residents must meet the age and financial
requirement, as well as have lived in the surrounding borough of Southwark for
at least three years. They also have to be open to the larger goals of United
St. Saviour’s Charity, which manages and operates the complex.
“Because we wanted a place where people of all ages would come together, we
made it very clear to the people wanting to live here that the community space
will be there for the whole community,” says chief executive Martyn Craddock.
“It won’t be a quiet residential lounge where you can just sip a cup of tea in
a corner and read a book; you’ll likely hear some kids in the background
somewhere.”"
Via
Reasons to be Cheerful:
<
https://reasonstobecheerful.world/what-were-reading-bike-friendly-world-mission/>
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
