November 10 2021

A retirement living complex in Falkirk has been handed over by contractors, providing 36 retirement homes for the town.

Operated by Link Housing the development on Williamson Street provides a range of one and two-bedroom apartments as well as wheelchair accessible units with shared facilities including a tea room, scooter store and common convenience.

Designed by Stallan-Brand Architects and delivered by the JR Group the town centre build adopts facing brick as an interpretation of traditional tenements, employing a soldier course to denote changes in floor level and half-brick recesses around window reveals.

In a design statement, the architects wrote: "A regular fenestration pattern has been developed which responds to the hierarchy typically found in tenement design. Living room windows are given precedence with full height glazing and Juliet balconies. Glazing to bedrooms will have a glazed infill panel on the bottom pane for increased privacy in these spaces.

"To soften the principle brick piers, a regular horizontal recess will be introduced, creating depth and shadow across the elevation. This again will highlight the horizontal nature of the elevation, reminiscent of the stone quoins on the traditional tenement buildings."

Arranged around a central landscaped courtyard the build includes a private residents garden behind a low-level brick wall and railings.

5 Comments

#1 Posted by Roddy_ on 10 Nov 2021 at 14:36 PM

An odd-looking project that seems to confound expectations of front vs back (I would have thought legibility to be high on the agenda of such a typology). The break in the perimeter block with the partial hammerhead says ‘back’ or ‘service area; yet appears to be the main entrance. Why not put the principal entrance on the principal façade? The boundary treatment at ground level with widows directly on to the street tends not to favour privacy despite what looks like the presence of deterrent paving- (are these habitable rooms at ground floor?). Just a wee bit strange. Facade treatment- a portent of Laurieston phase 3?

#2 Posted by Graeme McCormick on 10 Nov 2021 at 23:43 PM

It dseems to dominate the townscape. Is the Council hopeful that adjacent sites might have buildings of a similar height and size? If not I can't see how Falkirk's visual environment has been enhanced.

#3 Posted by Fat Bloke on Tour on 11 Nov 2021 at 13:29 PM

Bad / Bad / bad -- in fact it is terrible.
Severe mono-pitch roof with wasted attic space is particularly poor -- it looks as if the design is inside out.

You know things are not looking good when the design statement is buzzword bingo to try and keep the plebs quiet.

Honking.

#4 Posted by Fat Bloke on Tour on 11 Nov 2021 at 13:34 PM

Ground floor has no presence -- it looks like a hobbit sanctuary.

Really poor building that adds little to the area.

#5 Posted by The Bairn on 12 Nov 2021 at 12:52 PM

I completely disagree with all previous comments.
This may not ook like the normal 'drive-up-to-the-entrance' affair but probably benefits residents by reducing noise and activity from vehicles and therefore enhances environmental quality for its elderly residents. The building design might not be everyones 'cup of tea' but does look good in the site context and actually improves this area which for years was a neglected & hidden part of the town centre.

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