Time, Space, Existence: A Senior Friendly Micro-Community

As the cities grow, our lives get busier and we live further away from our families than we ever have before, have we thought about what life is like for our parents and grandparents at home? Can architecture help improve the mental and physical health of the occupiers? Design like a problem solver does not only mean solving pre-existed problems, but also thinking preemptively. Although technology can solve part of the problem, if we explore the role of design in our society and know how to apply good architecture to promote connection between generations, we can help elders feel active. We can even help prevent depression amongst seniors. In the near future, the population 65 or older will continue being the majority of the entire demography. And inclusive living will be an inseparable part of every future design project. Biophilic design would contribute to part of the solution as well. The elderly have lots to offer that the younger generations would need: experience, education, wisdom and most importantly, freetime; we can't leave all these resources aside. By encouraging interactions between different age groups, our children could benefit from all of this in one way or another that is going to be useful for their learning, and elders would feel they can also create value in the society. This thesis originates from a simple desire to make a safe and fun environment for my grandparents to spend their time in. And to make people be aware of their surrounding physical and also the psychological world. This design is site-specific, where the nearby park/trails and existing neighboring buildings become an integral part of the work. The beauty of the natural world always strikes me, thereby I try to work in response to that beauty. Protect the wetland park nearby and use it as an educational resource for people who come across my project. But whether socially or aesthetically based, in this work I seek to create a strong bond with the residents and visitors, to allow a place of lively interactions. I think architecture is not just physical walls and roofs enclosing a space, but a passage, a journey, a reflection of time.