In pictures: Auriens and PDP London complete scheme for Chelsea's super-prime seniors
Featured in Prime Resi
A prominent property development in Chelsea has reached completion, delivering an interesting addition to central London’s specialist prime residential space.
Located just off the King’s Road, on Dovehouse Green in SW3, Auriens is a “later life” scheme that provides independent living for wealthy seniors, with on-site private healthcare and high-spec wellness amenities.
It has been designed by architecture practice PDP London, delivering 56 self-contained one- and two-bedroom apartments for rent.
The plan, Auriens’ CEO David Meagher says, is to “deliver the gold standard for specialist later living,” creating “an unparalleled place to enjoy your later years.”
“There has been a shift in how we think about later life living, with a new focus on enhancing the experience of retirees,” add the architects.
PDP’s designs “reflect the language of the historical architecture of the surrounding area,” drawing inspiration from Chelsea’s traditional Georgian townhouses and reinstating historic building lines.
“One of the challenges was to ensure that the development offers residents access to local amenities and encourages a healthy intergenerational engagement,” says the architecture team. To achieve this, a series of public, semi-private and private external spaces balance privacy with more social connections with the public realm.
A sunken courtyard garden at the heart of the scheme is laid out in three squares, which become increasingly secluded.
“Construction has been to an efficient programme,” says PDP, helped by off-site manufacturing techniques. The facade envelope, for example, comprises precast panels into which two types of handmade British bricks have been set.
Inside, functional details and accessibility features have been integrated into the luxe designs. Spaces are meant to be adaptable, allowing an evolution from independent living to more comprehensive care provision.
Bathrooms, for example, have removable shower screens and bathtubs can be removed to allow for conversion into a wheelchair accessible wetroom. Kitchen cabinetry is motorised, and every doorway is 1.5 times the standard width to allow hospital bed access. “Everything you might need is there, but it is there in the guise of a subtly redesigned detail,” say the architects.
Each residence has an independent air supply and ventilation rates are more than twice those required by British Standards, with pollution filtered from the outside air before it even reaches the apartments. Circadian ceiling lighting reflects the passing of the day, so even those confined to bed can benefit from daytime light signals, helping to improve sleep, mood and an overall sense of wellbeing.
There is also a wealth of communal wellbeing facilities, including swimming and vitality pools, treatment rooms, a gym and fitness studio, salt sauna and salon. Other residents’ amenities including a cinema, library, wine room, bar, restaurant and communal lounges.
“Through their thoughtful design and meticulous attention to detail, PDP London has brought to life our vision to make Auriens the gold standard for later living. The team ensured the heritage and essence of Chelsea was incorporated through elegant proportions and British-made brickwork – allowing the building to become part of the local community. With health and wellness at the forefront of what we do at Auriens, PDP London worked to include subtle yet essential details that enable us to offer residents a homely environment which is adaptable and caters to their every need.” David Meagher, CEO Auriens Group
“One of the main challenges with this project was replacing the existing building with something more contextual – not just in its architectural language and design, but more importantly in its relationship to the townscape. By observing the immediate context spanning from the adjoining residential streets to the open space of Dovehouse Green, we used these elements as clues to inform the massing, allowing the new building to become a mediator in the townscape.
“The new development seamlessly blends into its Chelsea surroundings in terms of site response and contextual proportions.” Pedro Roos, Partner at PDP London
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