Cornamona Court; internal courtyard. Image: Paul Tierney / Cúirt Chorr na Móna; clós inmheánach. Íomhá: Paul Tierney

As people age they spend more time in their own homes. This means that older people’s quality of life, and thus their health, can depend on the appropriateness of their home environment and the conditions in which they live. This award recognises innovative housing initiatives that enable older people to remain independent for as long as possible.

When Dublin City Council secured funding for the development of Cornamona, it was identified that the waiting list in the Ballyfermot area demonstrated a need for family housing, and also that one in three homes in the area were occupied by a single older person in a two or three bedroom house. This understanding informed a mixed brief for 61 intergenerational social homes, including 28 houses and duplexes for families, and 33 older person apartments. The homes are arranged around a generous landscaped courtyard garden, with family homes at ground level having direct access to play areas, and older person apartments above.

The older person apartments incorporate UD and Age Friendly design features which will enable independent living for as long as possible. Some wheelchair liveable apartments are also included. The shared courtyard garden is fully accessible, as is the community space which includes a community room, offices, kitchenette and WCs.

The aim of the scheme goes beyond the delivery of new homes; it offers older people living in the area the chance to right size into a new universally designed and Age Friendly apartment, which in turn frees up more family homes in the area. There are also social benefits to having a mix of tenants in a development.

Congratulations to all involved:

Dublin City Council City Architects Division managed the project with a consultant design team led by Paul Keogh Architects and including the following parties:

Architects/ PSDP / ER / Assigned Certifier: Paul Keogh Architects

Structural & Civil Engineers: Roughan & O’Donovan

M&E Services Engineers: Varming Consulting Engineers

Quantity Surveyors: Austin Reddy & Company

Landscape Architect: Cunnane Stratton Reynolds

Cornamona Court; family house entrance. Image: Paul Tierney / Cúirt Chorr na Móna; bealach isteach theach an teaghlaigh. Íomhá: Paul Tierney

De réir mar a théann daoine in aois caitheann siad níos mó ama ina dtithe féin. Ciallaíonn sé seo gur féidir le cáilíocht beatha daoine breacaosta, agus dá bhrí sin a sláinte, brath ar oiriúnacht a dtimpeallachta baile agus ar a ndálaí maireachtála. Tugann an gradam seo aitheantas do thionscnaimh tithíochta nuálacha a chuireann ar chumas daoine breacaosta fanacht neamhspleách chomh fada agus is féidir.

Nuair a fuair Comhairle Cathrach Bhaile Átha Cliath maoiniú d’fhorbairt Chorr na Móna, aithníodh gur léirigh an liosta feithimh i gceantar Bhaile Formaid go raibh gá le tithíocht teaghlaigh, agus gur chónaigh duine breacaosta aonair i dteach dhá nó trí sheomra leapa as gach trí theach sa cheantar. Rinne an tuiscint seo eolas do treoir measctha do 61 teach sóisialta idirghlúine, lena n-áirítear 28 teach agus árasáin dhá leibhéal do theaghlaigh, agus 33 árasán do dhaoine breacaosta. Tá na tithe socraithe timpeall ar ghairdín clóis mór tírdhreachaithe, agus tá rochtain dhíreach ag tithe teaghlaigh ag leibhéal na talún ar áiteanna súgartha, agus ar árasáin do dhaoine breacaosta thuas.

Cuimsíonn na hárasáin do dhaoine breacaosta gnéithe dearaidh oiriúnaithe do chách agus Aoisbháúla a chumasóidh maireachtáil neamhspleách chomh fada agus is féidir. Tá roinnt árasán ar féidir le daoine i gcathaoireacha rothaí cónaí iontu san áireamh freisin. Tá an gairdín clóis comhroinnte inrochtana go hiomlán, mar aon leis an spás pobail a chuimsíonn seomra pobail, oifigí, cistinéad agus leithris.

Téann aidhm na scéime níos faide ná tithe nua a sheachadadh; tugann sí deis do dhaoine breacaosta a bhfuil cónaí orthu sa cheantar árasán nua, ar árasáin iad atá Aoisbháúil, agus in oiriúint dóibh agus do chách a bhaint amach, rud a chuireann níos mó tithe teaghlaigh ar fáil sa cheantar. Tá buntáistí sóisialta ann freisin maidir le meascán tionóntaí a bheith i bhforbraíocht.

Comhghairdeas le gach duine a bhí páirteach:

Rinne Roinn Ailtirí na Cathrach Chomhairle Cathrach Bhaile Átha Cliath bainistiú ar an tionscadal le foireann deartha comhairleach faoi stiúir Ailtirí Paul Keogh agus lena n-áirítear na páirtithe seo a leanas:

Ailtirí/ PSDP / ER /Deimhnitheoir Sannta: Paul Keogh Architects

Innealtóirí Struchtúr agus Sibhialta: Roughan & O’Donovan

Innealtóirí Seirbhísí Meicniúla & Leictreacha: Varming Consulting Engineers

Suirbhéirí Cainníochta: Austin Reddy & Company

Ailtire Tírdhreacha: Cunnane Stratton Reynolds