This viewpoint gives a personal account of the development of a pioneering intergenerational cohousing scheme in Hatfield, built over 50 years ago.

As recognised in the APPG on Housing and Care for Older People inquiry in 2016, it is a forerunner to the HAPPI principles and its attractive single storey design and build quality have stood the test of time. The development was not specifically designed for older people but both the adaptable design and the management are based on cooperative ideals and most of the residents are now of retirement age with 11 of the 28 households being ‘downsizers’. Furthermore, the affection for Cockaigne architecturally and the adaptability of the houses to meet a diverse range of ages, lifestyle choices and disability has also ensured a low turnover in ownership.

My involvement with church architecture began early when, as a choral exhibitioner at Corpus and the only architect in my year there, I was a sitting target to do a lot of the donkey work for the chapel re-ordering which was then under discussion. My main labour was to produce a survey drawing of one bay of the interior, including Blomfield’s dark oak roof. This was taken away by one of the fellows, Malcolm Burgess, who reappeared a few days later with my drawing, coloured in the riot of sky blue, peach and gold which has enlivened the chapel ever since.