Pine Martin Grange, Wareham

Located in Wareham, the Pinders award-winning Pine Martin Grange Care Home provides a variety of features, including 64 en-suite bedrooms, café, bar, private dining, cinema, library, gym, salon, and activity rooms.

The site also incorporate attractive landscaping, providing residents with large gardens and private patios, located next to a Grade 2 listed church.

Located on the former site of Sandford St Martins Primary School and adjacent to the Grade I listed church of St Martins’, Harris Irwin was able to create a sensitive addition to the area. The simple aesthetic of the existing church is complimented by the care homes restrained design and palette of materials, allowing the church to retain its importance on site.

The layout was developed to ensure existing trees were retained wherever possible, with a central courtyard designed to create views through the building to trees beyond. External doors are provided from as many ground floor rooms as possible to ensure residents enjoy the benefits of the well-established landscaped gardens. A key feature of the first floor is a large terrace, ensuring access and enjoyment of the grounds is available to all residents.

Forms and materials are reflective of the local vernacular and of the church in particular, however more contemporary elements are utilized to avoid visually competing. Internally a simple, understandable layout with short corridors ensure residents can orientate themselves easily, avoiding unnecessary confusion.

Lounges and destination points provide interest and vibrancy to the internal environment, while also bringing light into the heart of the building, with glimpses of the landscape and church throughout the home.