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Newcastle architects announce contract wins in Ireland

Newcastle-based architects and care home providers, Alston Murphy, are expanding out of the region, having won a three-site care home contract with Irish care home operators, Silver Stream.

The deal will see Alston design a 115-bed care home in Glasnevin, Dublin and add extensions totalling 60 beds to four other existing homes around Ireland over the next year.

The practice recently completed the design of its 100th care home, and has won care home contracts in Newcastle, West and South Yorkshire, Lancashire, Manchester, East Sussex and the West Midlands over the last six months.

Moreover, Alston Murphy is behind the design of more than 40 of the North East’s care homes, from small budget builds through to luxury bespoke homes.

Head of practice at the firm, Iain Murphy, said: “We believe that care homes do not need to look like institutions, and the steady growth in the amount of work we are winning outside the North East shows that offering an imaginative blend of practical direction and design plus a belief in putting real soul into our designs pays off on the bottom line.

“Although we work across a range of sectors, residential care has been our specialism since we set up the practice 23 years ago.

“A rapidly ageing population and growing need for care homes is driving the market and our experience makes us well placed to take advantage of the boom, both within the North East and further afield.”

“Most of our work comes via recommendation, and from successful care home operators who recognise that they get a better return on their investment from homes that are designed around generous room sizes, good quality finishes and effective use of natural light.

“They not only appeal to residents but also make them nice places to work, which in turn attracts high quality staff.

“We are also winning an increasing amount of work from new care home operators who have already had initial plans drawn up but have invited us in to review the design, and we have been able to give them extra beds and a better scheme that delivers higher returns.”