Completed in December 2017, Hawkhurst House is the latest edition to the Graham Care portfolio of care homes.

The development, which is located on the site of the old Barnados home for young children in Cranbrook Road, has been designed and built to deliver Graham Care’s unique concept of care suites and flexible accommodation within a group living environment.

Works commenced on 20th October 2014 with the demolition of the existing dilapidated ‘Babies Castle’ building and concluded with Practical Completion of the new home on 4th December 2017.

Uniquely, due to the demise of the original building contractor in December 2015, Graham Land & Developments Ltd concluded the scheme themselves directly contracting with various specialist subcontractors and suppliers to complete the build. This was a first for Graham Land & Developments Ltd and will now form the blueprint for future developments and offers a far greater degree of control over design, programme, choice and quality.

Hawkhurst House offers 90 care suites located over three floors with staff facilities and support services located within the basement.

The Graham Care philosophy of care suites differs from traditional bedrooms in three important ways:

  1. Social space with comfortable seats so that residents’ families and friends can spend good quality time together in privacy and comfort.
  2. Dining space so that residents can enjoy their meals in their own room, if they wish.
  3. A kitchenette so that residents and their guests can prepare drinks and snacks.

This home will provide a family friendly environment where residents feel at home and would be able to care for themselves or by their carers where appropriate.

Hawkhurst House has been designed to incorporate Graham Care’s approach to care provision, along with a respectful approach to the existing built environment and local environment.

The design is based around a central core, with a daycentre and ancillary accommodation in the basement, communal space on the ground to second floors and Care Suites in wings on the ground to second floors.

The central area of the building accommodates communal areas to suit each residents’ individual needs and associated ancillary spaces. These communal areas provide various levels of privacy and experience: from large dining/ lounges in the central hub to small, secluded sitting areas at the end of each wings.

The central hub is glazed to provide a light and airy interior, along with opening the views across the landscape.

During the design process our intention was to visually minimise the scale of the building. This is why the massing of the building has been visually broken up by using projections to the walls and variation in the roof levels. Timber cladding and render are drawn from the local palette of materials.

We encourage freedom of movement throughout the home and the gardens. This provides stimulation and physical exercise, and strengthens therapeutic social lives. To allow easy movement the layout of Hawkhurst House is clear and separate zones are easily recognisable. Moreover, all the areas of the buildings and the gardens are provided with level access or a lift.

Our residents are encouraged to walk and explore all garden areas, and the design provides linked footpaths to allow continuous movement.

The landscape scheme provides an attractive landscape setting and is consistent with the landscape character of the area, the village edge setting and environmental context.

Main public areas are located on the ground floor including the entrance foyer, reception, communal lounge/dining, offices and I.T area.

On upper floors the central areas, in addition to hosting lounge and dining facilities, you’ll also find a fully functioning hair and beauty salon, quiet room and attractive balconies where you can watch the sun set with the town of Hawkhurst as your backdrop.

Our concept and philosophy has achieved an open, fresh and vibrant feel to these central areas. The space will be flooded with natural daylight creating a light and airy space. At ground floor level, access is provided from the lounge area to the resident garden and terraces providing large comfortable seating areas in the fresh air.

Simple circulation within the building allows easy navigation for our residents and their guests. Three lifts are provided to enable access for residents and goods to all levels of the building.

Every floor has communal toilets for residents, available in the near proximity to activity rooms. All corridors used by the residents are designed with recessed areas in front of the bedroom doors. This allows very good access for wheelchair users and exceeds the minimum current regulation. Handrails are provided along the edge of the passages to assist residents.

Within the wings of the building, in addition to finding our bedroom suites, each with their own fully functioning ensuite, you’ll also find our assisted bathrooms with assisted bathing, piped music and mood lighting to create a calming and relaxing experience.