Willow Lodge

A familiar domestic character

The concept begins with the appearance and scale of a home. Two simple pitched-roof forms frame a sheltered entrance, with a lower wing suggesting a shared room opening towards a garden. A restrained combination of brick, light wall finishes and timber accents gives the elevation a calm, welcoming character.

Beginning with the operator's brief

The next stage would establish the intended number and needs of residents, the staffing model, shared activities and the balance between private and communal rooms. Those decisions would guide the internal layout, staff facilities, garden design and arrangements for visitors and servicing.

From elevation to a coordinated scheme

The drawing tests proportion, roof form and the relationship between the main building and its lower wing. It would be developed alongside floor plans, accessibility, safeguarding and fire-strategy input. C2 residential care is the starting brief for this study; the appropriate use classification and planning route would be assessed against a defined operation and site.

Concept status

Willow Lodge is a self-initiated early design study by Hepburn Architects. It is not an operating children's home, a client commission or an approved development.