Rosehip House in Islington, North London was commended in the Heathcare category award at ATLAS25, the Secured by Design Awards that recognises excellence in designing out crime.
Providing supported living for 11 adults with learning disabilities Rosehip House comprises of seven modern 1-bedroom flats and a four-home pod where residents who need greater support live together with a shared kitchen and dining space. Located in the heart of the community, the development offers not only safe and secure housing, but also the opportunity for residents to live independent and fulfilling lives in their local area. The scheme was designed in partnership with Islington’s Adult Social Care team and the Learning Disability Partnership.
From its inception DOCOs (Designing out Crime Officers) from the Metropolitan Police, Steve Downing and Ellen Ramasawmy, played a key role in the development and its success.
Steve Downing Ellen Ramasawmy 2
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The first challenge was the location itself – a former dilapidated car park with disused garages which was heavily linked to crime and anti-social behaviour. The DOCOs had to ensure they created a safe, secure environment for vulnerable adults with complex needs without them become targets in an area known for criminal activity.
The team also faced the task of creating a set of welcoming homes that promoted a sense of wellbeing and calm while balancing operational requirements and incorporating stringent safeguarding measurements for the residents. It was also critical that the facility was easy for residents with learning disabilities to navigate and wasn’t too overbearing.
Working closely with the local planning officer and the design team and building contractor, Rooff, DOCOs Steve and Ellen proposed some significant changes to the original design to help meet this challenge.
The Designing out Crime Officers implemented secure ‘onion layering’ throughout the scheme – a security approach where multiple layers of protection are used like the layers of an onion. If one layer is breached there is another secure layer inside. The result is a system of multiple secure primary and secondary doors before the building can be entered, followed by a secure outer boundary and further controlled access to the rear and side entrances.
Rosehip house secure ext door and vision window
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Secure external door with vision panel, multiple locking and large handle for ease of use for residents with reduced mobility. Vision window for staff with laminated glass to allow screening of those entering whilst remaining safe behind secure secondary door.
Rosehip internal secure door
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Secure access controlled internal doors upon each floor to provide additional layers within, so that staff have greater control upon resident movement and those considered more vulnerable.
Throughout the design the DOCOs also had to carefully balance accessibility with robust security, for example integrating power-assisted features such as automatic doors for disabled users whilst ensuring residents remained protected. One particular challenge was finding a suitable communal aluminium doorset that could only be opened inward due to the requirements of the disabled users without compromising on security. The solution was a PAS24 door-set incorporating power assisted opening, dual maglocks with a fob reader, CCTV coupled with 24/7 site presence.