Re-imagine Ageing

Finding the ‘Baby Boom’ generation a design for later life McCarthy & Stone invites practising, registered architects in the UK and the Republic of Ireland to enter an open, two-stage competition to design a new concept in retirement living for the ‘baby boomer generation’.

We are seeking to attract submissions from established and emerging design talent for a visionary development of privately-owned dwellings that will combine innovation with sustainability. The design should reflect the differing aspirations, lifestyles and practical requirements of this generation* as they move into later life. The aim is to design a realistic and affordable property product that will appeal to this group in terms of design, location, space, features and facilities.

The winning proposal will demonstrate empathy and an understanding of the promoter’s brief and the target audience. The successful candidate will need to demonstrate the vision to produce a high-quality, sustainable development, that maximises the features of the site.

The competition will be in two stages, judged anonymously in the first stage. A shortlist of up to five teams will be selected and invited to develop their designs and procurement proposals for discussion with the Jury Panel at final interview.

Selection at the first stage will be based upon preliminary concepts and ideas in response to the brief, and should be presented on one A1 board.

Selection at the second stage will be based upon more detailed design, cost analysis and proposals for the procurement of the development.

It is the intention that the winning architect will have the opportunity to develop the competition [or similar] site and take the project through planning consent to completion.

* For the purposes of this competition, the ‘baby boomer generation’ is defined as people currently aged between 57 to 69 years old (born between 1942-1955).