Sylvester gardens

The ‘City-wide’ group of Sheffield residents has been developing ideas for housing in later life with architects and researchers from the DWELL project. The ‘Age-friendly Urban Living’ exhibition, which launched at Sheffield’s Winter Garden on 16 October 2015, imagines how different types of homes, from townhouses to supported living could be developed near to the facilities and amenities of Sheffield city centre.

We selected Sylvester Gardens as a case study site from a number of vacant brown-field sites in the city centre. The site is near to St Mary’s Gate and is conveniently located close to the Moor Market shopping area, train station, theatres and cinema.

Citywide group members initially worked to create their ideal homes for downsizing in later life. Blocks of these houses and apartments were then arranged on the Sylvester Gardens site along with a public park, footpaths, and shared facilities.

Through a process of further workshops, site visits and hands-on design sessions, group members envisaged their ideal neighbourhood on the site. This shaped the central design concept of an urban oasis – a secluded retreat in the city centre with plenty of greenery and open space, as well as places to meet friends and socialise. The group reviewed the scheme to ensure that it reflected their design concepts.

We would also like to hear your views on these ideas and drawings – could you imagine downsizing to the city centre?