Eastcote Park, Solihull

Harris Irwin was the chosen architect on this luxury retirement village which has provided 34 exclusive retirement apartments and a luxurious 50-bedroom care home providing residential, dementia and respite care.

Facilities include a restaurant with private dining option, piano bar, hair and beauty salon, cinema, fitness suite and several cosy lounges.

The site of a former garden centre, Eastcote Park is designed to sit comfortably among the existing landscape reflecting the low scale, low density nature of the area. The arrangement of buildings in intended to reflect an agricultural scale and form suitable for the setting and minimising any impact of the openness of the green belt.

The buildings are set out to create courtyard like spaces between them to allow for more private individual outdoor spaces to the outside edge while creating a social space between. Each building has been designed to offers extensive open space and landscaping for residents to enjoy.

Varying use of materials such as brick, cladding and render creates individuality to each building as well as a sense of identity to single properties. The roof lines are intended to break down the building mass as well as reflect the local styles, further reinforcing a domestic scale.

A simple approach to forms, materials and details creates a high quality appearance, without competing with its surroundings, sitting discreetly against the landscaped backdrop of the green belt.

Eastcote Park has been built by Cinnamon Care Collection, which is an exclusive group of luxury care homes and retirement developments in beautiful locations throughout the country.