- Location : St. Peter, Jersey
- Date : 2017 - 2020
- Client : LV Care Group
- Project Status : Complete
Les Charrieres now stands as a modern, sustainable care home, clearly rooted in its’ form and materiality of rural St. Peter, benefiting both the community and the visual landscape. The home provides individually tailored care across 50 bedrooms, each with external patio or balcony space to promote wellbeing among residents.
The original development once functioned as the Les Charrieres Hotel; the business ceased trading as such some five years ago and underwent a series of demolition works which were left incomplete. Subsequently, the development fell into greater disrepair and dilapidation – establishing itself as an eyesore for the local community and a danger to surrounding roads. During its years as a hotel the structure was extended with no regard for the character of St. Peter or the impact on adjacent buildings, resulting in an imposing structure with little aesthetic quality or structural integrity.
Demolition of the existing buildings was crucial to enable a more contextually sound building, resulting in demonstrable environmental and landscape improvements. The rebuild enabled the widening of roads which were previously very narrow, therefore eradicating the previous danger to those passing one another on the road. Structurally, Les Charrieres has gable fronts and pitched roofs to reduce the original scale of the development and reflect the rural vernacular of St. Peter. Granite facades and quoins have been used in conjunction with timber frames to provide characterful detailing and a sense of countryside grandeur.
The exterior works saw a 45% increase in soft landscaping; a large, shared patio with a level lawn for accessibility allows visitors and residents maximum outdoor space. Native hedges and trees are being planted alongside a sensory garden which pools scent and colour, and stepped grounds create a landscape which both residents and neighbours can enjoy.
One of the key components of the building interior is the incorporation of an ‘internal street’ continuing through the principal route of the plan, offering a bright naturally lit space with views out to the surrounding countryside. The internal street has been designed specifically to provide an uplifting comfortable domestic environment, enhanced by the use of local artwork, fabrics and furnishings that seek to encourage resident interaction.
