Penameyne Court transformed a former lemonade factory site in the heart of the St Ives Conservation Area into a sociable residential community for Penwith Housing Association. Situated in the old fishing quarter known as 'Down-A-Long' the site is now home to twenty seven socially rented retirement dwellings arranged around an intimate landscaped courtyard.
Much of the social and environmental thinking behind the architectural design remains as relevant as ever to today's contemporary later living developments. The design of the courtyard and intimate communal spaces promote a sense of community and civic pride, whilst the architecture's human scale, detailing and use of colour provide a residential motif, engendering a sense of home. The internal courtyard landscape is a place to relax, meet and commune.
In tandem with the balcony access, the overhang of the roof reduces the scale of the architecture. Apartments are accessed off the central courtyard with the balconies incorporating bench seating to create an activated social space.
The sensitive and careful response to this challenging context married architectural delight with layouts driven by functional analysis of key environmental issues such as solar gain and overshadowing. The complex courtyard arrangements and proposed communal facilities were intelligent responses to the community and resident consultation process.
The project offers a strong example of sensitive but dense housing provision in the heart of St Ives conservation area based on simple traditional construction methods. Parking zones have been sensitively integrated and the Courtyard design offers privacy and security to residents.
