Working alongside Morris + Company, we provided M&E Engineeering, Acoustics and Environmental Assessment for this retirement living scheme for Pegasus Life in Hampstead, London.

Located in the former Bartram's Convent in Hampstead, North London, this project of 59 self-contained, assisted-living apartments was developed on a tight and complex site. We designed the building services strategy to include air-source heat pumps with comfort cooling and centralised domestic hot water production using Combined Heat & Power (CHP). The low-energy design also includes strong passive design features and photovoltaic panels to achieve a BREEAM Multi-Residential rating of 'Excellent'.

Sandwiched between the Royal Free Hospital and a series of 19th-century brick residential and civic structures in a conservation area, Belle Vue's exterior features a textured brick base and chamfered window reveals that widen further up the blocks. Thin strips of precast concrete have been introduced to unify the elevations and give external horizontal definition to each level. The brick skin which subtly changes in tone and texture as the blocks increase in height, emulating the warm, red brickwork of Victorian architecture, common in Hampstead.

The ten-storey development, a series of interconnected blocks, leaves nothing to be desired. In addition to the one- and two-bedroom apartments, it comprises a communal kitchen and cafe, a resident's lounge, a library, a wellness centre with spa, gym and swimming pool, guest accommodation, staff offices, a communal roof terrace as well as a basement car stacking system. Blocks are arranged around the central garden space, which is visible as soon as residents and visitors enter the reception. Occupying the lower ground floor, both the pool and the large residents' lounge also overlook this courtyard with large windows.

The staggered arrangement allows for a subtle delineation between Belle Vue's public-facing facilities, located at the northern end of the plan, and the residents' private spaces. Most of the apartments have been created as dual-aspect, with large windows and deep inset corner balconies, preventing overlooking from the neighbouring structures. These balconies have been finished with delicate steel filigree balustrades, contrasting the robustness of the brickwork.

The landscaped courtyard, spacious communal lounge, artisan café and impressive roof terraces all maximise the opportunity for social interaction, which is one of PegasusLife’s eight pillars of wellness. There are many opportunities for daily communication between neighbours without any loss of privacy. For example, the wider-than-average hallways and shared spaces have been specifically designed for impromptu chatting and forming new friendships.

Belle Vue by PegasusLife is designed to be a place where socialising, exploring creativity and nurturing wellbeing in later life is effortless. Downsizing can be a big step and so we have strived to create a flexible living environment where owners can maintain their current lifestyles and achieve their future ambitions without compromising on their quality of life. - Khalil Rehman, Design Manager, PegasusLife