Stephen Proctor co-founded Proctor & Matthews in 1988

Project Steepleton
Stephen Proctor of Proctor & Matthews Architects has spoken to CLAD about designing for wellbeing with the completion of the Steepleton Tetbury later living community in the Cotswolds, UK.

The development places leisure and community at its heart, the architects told CLAD, with 113 Later Living one and two bedroom apartments clustered around a series of open courtyards. The community features a swimming pond, spa, gardens and allotments and a 'village hall' – a barn-like structure at the heart of the site with a range of communal facilities including a restaurant and lounge and an exercise room.

“The leisure facilities provide an important opportunity for residents to interact with neighbours on a daily basis and contribute to both mental and physical wellbeing,” said Proctor.

“The ‘Village Hall,' with its lounge, restaurant, care and therapy provision, IT facilities and exercise room provides a focus for social interaction. Crucially, the Village Hall facilities together with a street front café can be used by the wider community, thereby knitting the development and its residents closely into the social infrastructure of Tetbury.

“At the centre of each communal courtyard is a landscaped garden with allotments where residents and visitors are encouraged to exercise in the fresh air or jointly participate in gardening activities. The individual courtyards form a sequence of spaces that creates a longer circular walk – or exercise route – around the development. The focal open-air swimming pond and spa may also become part of a healthy living routine for residents.

The design makes reference to its Cotswold location through careful detailing, said Proctor.

“Dormers, projecting bays and balcony hoods create a coherent yet varied architectural language to the streetscape of courtyard typologies. Chimneys for wood burning stoves and pronounced ‘twin gable’ façade composition echo the forms of the Cotswold vernacular and Arts and Crafts tradition. Distinctive Cotswold stone is deployed on all low-level walls and prominent gable facades. These textured enclosures help to nurture a sense of protection while providing a visual expression of local craftsmanship.”