Archive for category: Features

Why is designing homes for people with dementia important?

“Getting design right can make a fundamental difference to the lives of people with dementia.  It improves their life experiences and can increase life expectancy”

The Dementia Centre www.dementia.stir.ac.uk

What are the issues?

More than 800,000 people in the UK are living with dementia, with numbers expected to rise to 1.7 million by 2051. Dementia is a huge issue for the UK and the world. The cost to the UK is already around £23 billion per year, and is set to rise to £27 billion by 2018. Globally the estimated costs are $604 billion – 1% of global GDP.  It is therefore vitally important that whether we are designing homes specifically for older people, or with everyone in mind – we make sure they incorporate principles that help.

Helping people remain independent is really important, as not only can it help them remain in their own home for longer, but it also helps improve their quality of life – and that of their carers and families.

How can architectural design help?

We want to find ways to design homes to help alleviate the feelings of isolation and fear that many people with dementia encounter. We feel there is an opportunity to improve the overall quality of life for people with dementia which could reduce the need for expensive hospital care.

 

5 Principles for Housing Design for Dementia

As a starting point here are 6 design principles for developing supportive design to help people with dementia lead a more enjoyable life.

1. Encourage Meaningful Activity by integrating gardens into the design, providing places to walk with frequent resting places, forming social spaces where people can meet, talk and form friendships.

 

2. Enable familiarity make sure dining areas include smaller more intimate spaces that feel more homely, use recognisable sanitary ware and include photographs of local places to jog memories.

 

3. Help aid legibility by creating good site lines and uncluttered spaces.  Make sure lighting is even and use natural daylight wherever possible.  Don’t use shiny floor coverings or confusing patterns, but use soft surfaces that help reduce background noise.

 

4. Support Orientation by integrating artworks that reflect the seasons, draw in more natural daylight and integrate external spaces within the design.  Create framed views of the landscape and nature.  Make sure staff spaces are easy to find and staff are visible.

 

5. Help Wayfinding by using accent colours both in the interior and exterior, using sculpture or building features, clearly identifying bedrooms and social spaces, using pictures for signage along with text.

The Outcomes

Decision making should be eased reducing the agitation and stress that frequently accompanies dementia.  People can become more independent and will hopefully interact more with others in their care home or development, which helps with wellbeing and happiness.  Homes should feel and be safer, which also helps encourage people to get out, walk around and socialise.  Further blogs will look at some of these design principles in more detail and how we can implement them to provide spaces that really help make a difference.

 

It is a difficult day when you suddenly realise your parents are getting older and that they will increasingly need your help. For me it was when my Mum had a stroke 3 years ago and became paralysed, not able to speak or communicate. The long journey of recovery is still going, but with the amazing care from the NHS and dedication and love from my Dad and our family she can now walk with a frame and although she can’t do everything on her own she still able to live at home.

Mum’s stroke really made me think a lot about the way we design for people with disabilities, after all a huge number of our population don’t fit into the categories we design for – 1.8m tall able bodied probably male.

We had to add extra handrails to the stairs, which despite Dad’s best efforts do not add to the design qualities of the house! We had to add a walk in shower where the airing cupboard used to be and then there was all the kit Mum needed; the bed that moves up and down, the chair that supports her at the right height, the walking frame…

None of this kit was designed to look good let alone contemporary. I started to search the internet for things that had been designed to look good, maybe even stylish…. Mum understandably doesn’t want to be considered ‘old’ and all the things she had to introduce into her life were grey, ugly and un un-inspirational.

Mum has many things that she enjoys doing, she loves gardens and bird watching and she is part of a patchwork group that meet weekly for chat, tea and sewing.  About 7 years ago I designed Mum and Dad an extension that opened up the back of the house and gave them an open plan kitchen dining room. This is where Mum now spends most of her time.  She can feel like she’s sitting in the garden and there is space for her friends to come for coffee and a chat, because the kitchen is accessible she doesn’t have to walk far to make a cup of tea.  Later if Mum does need to sleep downstairs the new space means she can do so without many alterations being made to the house.

Mum and Dad’s extension has given them a huge amount of flexibility and importantly a social hub to the home which was lacking in the formal cellular arrangement of the original 60’s house.

We are developing a renewed fondness for the single storey dwelling so iconic of English suburbia.

Level access, connection with garden, privacy are all reasons why bungalows have been so popular with the older generation for a length of time. Alongside these attributes, the traditional typology may also contribute to feelings of Isolation, a large footprint challenging to maintain and high energy bills.

So how can this winning formula be reinterpreted to suit the aspirations of todays baby boomers?

Our recent research and design work with Redrow homes on a scheme for Extra Care Apartments in Dawlish reinforced the benefits of flexible layouts, a strong connection to outside space and opportunity for social interaction.

We believe a well designed single storey dwelling can provide a living environment attuned to the evolving interests and needs of the older generation who are seeking a desirable affordable option for downsizing from a family dwelling.

Our top five contemporary bungalow features:

1) Vaulting ceilings allows opportunity for large amounts of natural light, as well clever and compact mezzanines, creating extra space for when family and friends come to visit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/22799541834335601/

2) The large, en-suite, attic bedroom is much appreciated by downsizers. By viewing the internal volume as a whole, we can maximise the efficiency through playful vertical and horizontal division of space.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/334884922262367783/

3) Taking the low density detached bungalow profile and re-configuring the layout to a terrace or courtyard formation, naturally providing increased opportunity for social engagement.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.janedburnsidearchitects.co.uk/index.php/blog/85-bespoke-single-storey

4) Minimising circulation space with open plan layouts and level thresholds, allowing ease of inhabitation across internal and external spaces and connection with the outside from all living areas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://lunchboxarchitect.com/featured/skylight-house/

5) Individual Gardens and courtyards which are compact, adaptable and easy to maintain – offering scope for keen gardens, pet owners and those who like to entertain.

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://lunchboxarchitect.com/featured/skylight-house/

The number of bungalows being built has remained constant for the last 10 years and with our ageing population, demand is soon likely to exceed supply. Now is the opportunity to take our love of the bungalow to the next level, to thoroughly engage through thoughtful design.

More content you might like:

What do the over 60’s look for in a new build

Designing for a lifetime

Silver Linings

 

Yesterday evening we attended an eye opening masterclass about Biodiversity considerations within developments, with Dr Steve Holloway, the principle Ecology Consultant from SLR.

Age old prejudices between developers and ecologists were disbanded as it became clear that both sides were seeking a pragmatic solution. Every developer in the room had run into difficulties with Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) over biodiversity matters in the past. All of which seemed to largely be attributed to the local councils being without the specialists to provide site specific information and solutions. If the LPAs can be provided with the correct evidence, put into local and national perspective, and the proposal provides a proportionate and directed response to that, the council can have no objection.

The revealing undercurrent of the discussion was the need for a good Architect, who is able to combine the best ecological solution with the most profitable and constructive development strategy. This will allow site specific surveys from an Ecological Consultant to be balanced with an understanding of the developers market and brief.   A talented architect can address the biodiversity issues in a targeted way, allowing intervention to enhance or offset the ecological needs in a sensible way.

Top Tips for getting planning permission on a challenging, biodiverse site –

1. Get some site specific Biodiversity Surveys

2. Get in contact with an Ecology Consultant to put that survey data into proper perspective. Yes, all bat species are under an umbrella of protection… but not every species is rare. The Ecology Consultant can provide the evidence the council need to put the current wildlife data, and the impact the new proposal would have on these, into proportion.

3. Don’t just provide Biodiversity Enhancements for the sake of it, work with the Ecology Consultant to define the areas and species on site which are worth maintaining and will flourish in future improving. This could well save you throwing away money or valuable land to a wildflower meadow which may never even see a butterfly.

4. Think more widely about the areas surrounding the site. Is there a remarkable area next to your site, which you can improve further? This offsetting of ecological value will mean less restriction to your development plans on site.

5. Consider the boundary edges of site or connecting pathways through site can be more help to the local wildlife than a designated expansive area.

6. Include a long term plan. Show the LPAs your scheme goes above and beyond by including a maintenance plan.

7. Know your literature. The  S41 List will be a great place to start, revealing all habitats and 943 species of principal importance. But for actual legislation you will need to look elsewhere. Get hold of a copy of the British Standard 42020, and prove that you are compliant with the codes.

8. Present your evidence well. If you have carefully considered what interventions will be most beneficial for the site, show evidence of it, and show it clearly.

Alex Baker, Architectural Designer, Living Space Architects

This is the first in a series of blog posts looking at the theme of design for later living, or how we could be designing for an increasing ageing population.

Over the last 10 years, like many young architectural practices we found ourselves cutting out teeth within the private residential sector.  As we have moved on to larger and more commercial projects we have found that our knowledge of this sector has given a huge amount of valuable research that can be translated into larger projects.

We have had the opportunity to develop detailed briefs for over 400 private clients within the residential sector and over 70% of these have been older clients.  This has bee a fantastic resource for a larger retirement projects and proved fruitful when we became finalists in the McCarthy & Stone re-imagining ageing competition last year.  We have subsequently written articles for the architectural press and provided research for clients such as Pegasus Life and other later living developers.

We have spent time analysing themes and trends within this sector and are now getting the opportunity to translate these into projects on site including our work with J&M homes in Tavistock where we are helping them create a development of 14 later living apartments and houses.

The next 5 posts will look at the themes we have been looking at and the research we have gone on to complete.  Themes include how to encourage active ageing within design, trends within relocation, looking to other countries such as the Middle East who are ahead of the UK in their approach to design for this sector and if retirement villages are the right solution for housing our ageing population.