Dornal Avenue, Yoker

A highly contemporary development providing 20 Frail Elderly flats with assisted accommodation and 9 houses for rent at Dornal Avenue in Yoker, Glasgow for West of Scotland Housing Association. Out reach facilities are also provided consisting of a hairdressing facility, assisted bathrooms, hobby room and larger than average dining facilities, which will be of benefit to the local community.

The very sheltered block is the dominant feature of the site. It was designed as a south-facing courtyard to take advantage of passive solar gain and give good daylighting to all flats. This was important because each unit was by its nature single aspect. Common areas also face on to this courtyard to give a sense of community and social integration and at the same time a secure environment. The aim was to create a secure, sustainable building, which has a hierarchy of public and private space.

The flats are designed around this communal courtyard garden with a small area of outdoor space designated to each plot in the form of balconies or patios to the ground floor flats. Solar shading is provided for residents through brise soleil.

The energy and heating proposals for the building have been carefully designed to incorporate the active principles of sustainability together with the passive principles, which are inherent in the design. The objectives of this strategy are to:

- minimise climate change
- reduce running costs for the association and the residents
- reduce pollution and improve air quality and health
- improve energy efficiency

Sun angles were carefully assessed to provide optimum use of natural daylighting A communal heating system with underfloor heating has freed up valuable floor space within the flats and will present the residents with lower running costs and a more energy efficient heating system.