The Northeast Disabilities Resource Centre (NDRC) in Sunderland is dedicated to upholding everyone’s right to equality, dignity, privacy, and individuality. Focusing on fostering interaction in society to enhance lives, NDRC primarily supports individuals diagnosed with cerebral palsy and those with physical or learning disabilities.

NDRC offers domiciliary home care support and outreach, featuring onsite facilities for staff to rest and engage with the wider community. The design emphasises dropped eaves to humanise the scale with main entrance also accentuated with a sweeping feature surround that juts out to form a subtle entrance canopy shelter naturally leading the eye. The steep pitch semi-A frame roof generates an extra story with vaulted ceilings punctuated with dormer windows, maximizing the layout and integration with the setting. The architectural design prioritises full-height windows to foster openness and connectivity. Expansive patios and gardens, especially appreciated during warmer months, lead to allotments and garden spaces for future growth.

Visitors enter a spacious lobby, greeted at reception and guided to various activities and services. A large community open-plan dining area and a comfortable double-height, top-lit TV lounge welcome occupants via large glazed screens on the east wing. Behind the reception is a generous kitchen with worktops suitable for a range of disabilities, enabling shared meal preparation and cooking workshops.

To the west is a large multifunctional space where theatre groups regularly gather, using the large open-plan rooms that also convert into a cinema in the evening. Generous physiotherapy spaces enhance the dignity and quality of life for the centre’s clients.

Art workshops on the first floor overlook the landscape via full-height windows. Staff offices and training areas for quiet contemplation, along with onsite staff changing areas for outreach, also occupy the first floor along with a relaxing staff room and tea bay to recharge and catch up. The centre manager’s office, situated directly above the main entrance, oversees daily activities through striking full-height windows, inviting clients to shape the building’s program.

The centre provides accessible parking, including spots for mobility vehicles and two minibus spaces within a central courtyard, ensuring convenience for residents and visitors. NDRC’s experienced staff create an environment that allows people to achieve their true potential in a relaxing and enjoyable manner.