Open Collections

Abstract

The medical realm of Geriatrics is the fastest growing trend in medical populations worldwide, today. Canada and the United States are no exception when it comes to healthcare needs for the ageing. This project focuses on dementia and Alzheimer's specific groups within the general geriatric population. Case-studies representing several facilities from both the east and west coasts have been chosen to help illustrate the spectrum of care, experience, and quality of life within such environments. This information includes but is not limited to: facility siting, relationships or patterns within the landscape, ultimate design outcome, architectural style and cost, and general programming needs. Individual case study and post-occupancy examination ratings have been compiled to show typological and other significant categorical outcomes of several study centres. General site selection and project criteria will demonstrate constraints and opportunities the site poses for the design outcome while informing it of potential overlaps in future program and current use. The design agenda includes revisiting the past for medical, historical and cultural cues as they relate to treatment or lifestyle adjustment throughout the three-phased illness. A specific set of design criteria has been established for the categories of patient, family, and caregiver in terms of socio-physical environments. By establishing the social needs of these diverging groups the design can look to the landscape for ways in which onsite experience can be a deeper, more sensory and informative one. Design for the ageing consists of physical, social, emotional and biophilic realms-all of equal importance but rarely honored as such throughout today's compacted design process. With dementia as the major cause in one's loss of thinking, feeling, and reasoning it is no wonder residents seldom find comfort or joy in the monotony of plastic-container gardens associated with current facilities. This design will draw upon such experiences and examines the proposed site's qualitative opportunities as well as nearby viewsheds to better represent the target population in lifestyle, programming, and codependency.