The Chocolate Works Care Village

Originally the headquarters of chocolate maker Terry’s of York, this landmark 1920s building sat derelict after the facility closed. Converting it to a care home received unanimous support from the city of York, as long its historical features were preserved. NORR’s design philosophy was to create a unique, pioneering and stimulating village with compassionate care at its heart.

The grand double-height atrium was restored and a mezzanine added to visually reduce its volume and provide space for a marketplace with café, restaurant, spa, hairdresser, gym and pub. A rooftop terrace was built, creating safe outdoor space. Our designers successfully divided the ground and first floor into 82 care suites and eight luxury apartments while preserving the historically important windows to which NORR applied a toughening film to minimize breakage risk. The building design encourages residents to flow freely around each floor and every floor incorporated a different color palette to aid in wayfinding. The welcoming, unique environment feels more like a boutique hotel than a care facility.