Beyond the Walls

Abstract

Architecture has the potential to significantly enhance the lives of individuals with dementia, particularly through the design of their most immediate and personal environment. This thesis explores how responsive residential apartments could contribute to wayfinding, reduce anxiety, support orientation, and elevate a sense of independence and dignity. The vehicle for this thesis is a village for patients suffering from dementia directed by architectural conditions that suggest cognitive and emotional support.

As a primary measure each apartment is oriented toward the east with a series of windows to provide a direct connection to the sunrise. At the same time, the eastern view direction offers views of the surrounding activity of the complex. Personalized entryways, floor material changes, and distinct signage within the building further assist memory and recognition. The siting seeks to encourage residents to wake with the natural rhythm of the day and visually engage with the village life beyond their individual apartments. The architecture pursues an amplified navigational clarity with a kind of intuitive spatial organization: the residential blocks form the western boundary of a circular village, whereas the essential amenities as the eastern boundary are placed in a direct line of sight from the apartment, thus visible and accessible from an internal path.

The presence of natural light inside the residential buildings plays a vital role in maintaining circadian rhythm and providing sensory stimulation. Daylight is brought deep into the space from the floor to ceiling windows, particularly during morning hours. There are varieties of spatial pocket, quiet alcoves, and open mezzanines as opportunities for solitude, reflection, or social connection. These spatial boundaries draw from a warm, tactile material palette to increase the haptic part of wayfinding. The choice of familiar colors and textures are intended to evoke a sense of comfort, while residential-scale finishes suggest a homelike environment over the stereotypic sterility of institutional care.

Overall, the architectural framework engages intuitive wayfinding, natural light, and diverse spatial experiences to develop a more dementia-friendly living dignified environment. The same framework is also the basis for the layout of the broader village to promote a higher degree of autonomy in a difficult stage of life.