Age-scape
is an architectural landscape that brings together the dwelling and social
needs of elders.
Dwelling
units focus on giving control and choice back to the residents. The ability for the unit to provide an
appropriate environment for a wide array of activities allows for
self-development, expression, and discovery in the comfort of one’s own home.
This is accomplished through various levels of transparency within the unit,
ability to share resources with neighbors, and the choice to participate with
the greater social environment of Age-scape.
The units are joined to encourage social interaction between
neighbors, thus creating an immediate social environment within one’s private
home. By opening up the unit to neighbors and the community the elders receive
medical care from the staff efficiently, mental aid from the comfort of
neighbors, sunlight, exposure to the greenery nearby, and physical exercise
from the primary circulation system.
At the building scale, Age-scape uses the
landscape as an enabler for social interaction. The mix of housing, primary circulation, and open spaces for
public programming creates an immersive environment the elders must take part
in. Age-scape is more than a place
to heal; it is a place to live years full of private relaxation or community
involvement, the choice is made by the elders. By virtue of leaving one’s room, the resident inhabits the
social construct that Age-scape embodies.