JORDAN ALBERS
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DESIGNING OUTDOOR SPACES TO ENHANCE URBAN INTER-GENERATIONAL LIVING
The functioning and maturation of the human body, mind, and spirit depend on the quality of people’s ongoing experiences of nature. (Kellert, 2005) The incorporation of nature into living spaces can greatly enhance psychosocial relationships in inter-generational living. Healing gardens used in healthcare facilities have proven beneficial to people of all ages; medical and other scientific studies have shown that environmental design can increase a person’s physical and mental health. (Ulrich, 1999) Natural environments also prove to be beneficial to children. Play therapy helps children develop self-confidence, a positive self-image, learn to express feelings, and make decisions. (Framingham, 2013) Gardens are important and effective for fostering social contact as well as supporting emotional interactions known to mitigate stress. (Ulrich, 1999) Overall, nature can positively impact a user’s quality of life. A thorough review of the literature will help define how to successfully organize and layout outdoor spaces in inter-generational living. Maximizing the usability of outdoor spaces is essential for the users’ health. The purpose of this study is to explore how the design of outdoor spaces can be integrated into future inter-generational living projects in order to benefit the well being of all users. |
ADAM FROELICH |
DESIGN FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN INTER-GENERATIONAL LIVING
Today, the United States is facing an obesity crisis. The majority of adults and 43% of elementary school children are overweight. (Active Design 2010) Obesity is second only to tobacco as a cause of premature death. (Active Design, 2010) In addition to diet and other factors, the built environment is a major contributor to the obesity epidemic. (National Center for Bicycling and Walking, 2002) Unfortunately, many built environments support sedentary activity, rather than promoting active lifestyles. This reflects poorly on designers, who are responsible to support the health, safety and welfare of those who inhabit their designed spaces. Studies have shown that people with active lifestyles live longer, healthier, and happier. (US Dept. of Health, 2008) Rather than compromising health through designing for sedentary occupation, designers must learn how to support the physical needs of those for whom they design. The goal of this study is to understand what types of design strategies can be integrated into the built environment to support healthy, active lifestyles. In particular, this review will attempt to understand what strategies are appropriate for different age groups. Literature review and precedent studies will contribute to a framework that will inform design that promotes active lifestyles for people of all ages. This framework will then be applied through design of an intergenerational living project in Seattle, Washington. By providing individuals with age-appropriate infrastructure to support active lifestyles, designers will be able to fulfill their professional responsibility to support the health, safety and welfare of those they serve. |
SARA HARTMAN |
INTERSTITIAL SPACE TO PROMOTE SOCIAL HEALTH IN INTER-GENERATIONAL LIVING ENVIRONMENTS
Intergenerational living is presently undefined as a building type. However, one intention can be described as people who recognize continuing shifts in their requirements and resources as they age, thus live together in a model of cooperation, interaction, and exchange that facilitate mutual support and relationships which benefit both individuals and their communities (Generations United, 2). Desire for this model of living comes from the recognition that social networks and community support are tremendously beneficial. Other models for living environments on a larger scale often include social ideas and objectives including the desire for creating areas of greater interaction among residents and enhancing neighborliness (Carmona, 142). The challenge is applying their results to intergenerational living environments, where social networking is a part of the everyday routine and takes place in the regularly inhabited spaces. All living environments have interstitial spaces, such as the corridors in an apartment building or public streets in a suburban neighborhood. This research proposes that these shared interstitial spaces must consider social objectives in the context of intergenerational living. Analysis of precedent, research studies, and past theories generates useful knowledge for designers and architects when creating these spaces. The ultimate goal of this research is to define criteria for socially successful living environments that apply to intergenerational living, and then through design exploration to provide guidance for promoting social health through interstitial spaces. |
LANDON HUBBARD |
LIVING + MAKING = A PURPOSEFUL LIFE
The focus of this literature review encompasses the relationship between intergenerational interaction and its impact on improving human health and well-being. With an increasing older population in today’s society, there is a need for the reinterpretation of modern day multi-family housing, with an emphasis on aging in place. In the United States the population of adults aged 65 and over is swiftly increasing; it is expected to rise from 35 million in 2000 to 72 million in 2030. (U.S. Census Bureau, 2005) Sadly, younger generations often portray their elders as insignificant, damaging, dependent and detrimental to society. (Bales, 2000) However, in the past 30 years, numerous studies by means of varying methods have exposed improvement in the attitudes toward older people among younger adults and children after participating in an intergenerational program. (Lynott & Merola, 2007) Research has shown that participants not only feel intrapersonal development through service based learning, but the establishment of a deep relationship with their partners. (Zucchero, 2011) The proposed project will examine the ways in which “thinking” and “making” by means of a service based learning model might contribute to a healthy lifestyle across multiple generations. This study will explore ways to integrate “making” spaces into an intergenerational living environment. An intergenerational housing community where craftspeople, artisans, makers, inventors tradespeople, retirees, and students of all ages can nurture mutual understanding, share ideas and distribute knowledge through the physical experience of making things. |
IAN KILPATRICK |
INTER-GENERATIONAL LIVING: OPEN BUILDING ARCHITECTURE AND THE IMPORTANCE OF CHOICE & INDEPENDENCE
The ideas of choice and personalized living; that people carry an inherent emotional connection with their physical environment, has forever been at the forefront of American homeowner ideology (Marcus 2006). “Open building architecture”, an approach to design that increases the variety, flexibility and quality of space, ensures the idea of choice and personalization in living for the inhabitant (Nascimento 2013). The notion of applying a singular scheme to the living needs of the greater whole can no longer be an acceptable means of designing. In the sector of healthcare (hospitals, nursing homes, etc.) this similar quality of homogenized living conditions, void of any personal identity, has come to be all too familiar (Swensson 2012). Through the implementation of open building architecture, one can break free of the cookie cutter approach to design and begin to disentangle the specific parts of a building, thus enabling broader consumer choice in laying out, equipping, and furnishing space (Kendell 2002). In regards to inter-generational living, the aspect of adapting to changing needs over time is critical in order to adequately serve the needs of our aging population, and by means of open building architecture, one can begin to focus design on the user/inhabitant. The users, then, become recognized as the decision making agent, and in turn the architecture becomes more suitable to the individual’s needs (Nascimento 2013). Thus, the purpose of this project is to investigate the potential benefits of open building architecture in the design of inter-generational living, with the goal being to sustain choice, personalization, and independence for its inhabitants. |
WILSON MEEKS III |
INTER-GENERATIONAL LIVING: DESIGNING TOWARD A HEALING SENSE OF PLACE
This project is based on the notion that an environment which expresses a healing sense of place can positively affect a person’s wellbeing through a sensory experience. Gesler describes the various dimensions of the healing environment as being comprised of four main aspects: built, natural, social, and symbolic (Gesler, 2003). When these four aspects relate to one another, a place can become meaningful in its ability to draw on its character and allow a person to develop their own sense of personal identity, security, and belonging (Pred, 1983). The sense of place is experienced most often through the built environment, which has been shown to affect the healing process due to its ability to affect the five senses (Gesler, 2003). This is the haptic architecture of the skin, and muscle, which recognizes the realms of hearing, smell, and taste, in addition to sight (Pallasma, 1994). As we experience a place and begin to develop our own self identity within that space, it becomes a part of our own body and being (Pallasma, 1994). Sensory experience is integrated through the body, allowing the body to change as a result of environmental change. The question becomes what environmental aspects make us heal? Once a place is experience as healing, occupying that space becomes a desire rather than a necessity. This project will explore what practices and architectural applications can contribute to developing a sensory experience within a healing sense of place, as it pertains to the inter-generational living project in Seattle, Washington. |
DEVIN MURPHY |
URBAN OUTDOORS:
IMPROVING SOCIAL INTERACTION IN AN URBAN INTER-GENERATIONAL LIVING ENVIRONMENT Outdoor space has been linked to many benefits seen in a person's physical, mental, and social health, therefore, the design of residential outdoor spaces must support and promote the social well‐being of its occupants. The social relationships neccessary to sustain inter‐generational communities can be greatly enhanced through the addition of outdoor space. Studies in the realm of healthcare have shown that visual and physical access to a natural habitat reduces stress and improves patients' recovery (Ulrich, 1999) and that interaction with the younger population improves elders' perceived quality of life (Taylor + Repetti + Seeman, 1997). Both the aging poplation and members of younger generations have shown to benefit from social interactions fostered by the addition of outdoor space to living environments (Marcus, 2000), proving access to outdoor space can greatly impact social health within inter‐generational living. This study is inteneded to explore the integration of a variety of outdoor spaces at various levels of scale in the design of inter‐generational living in order to support social interaction between residents. It is hoped that through the implementation of design criteria discovered through research, a socially integrated, inter‐generational population can be promoted. |
KATIE NIGHTINGALE |
SILENT ARCHITECTURE: HEALING IN AN INTER-GENERATIONAL LIVING ENVIRONMENT
“The most powerful of healing places is in the brain and in the mind” (Sternberg, 2009). Studies have shown that the mind and its functions are directly affected by the environment. Certain environmental stimuli, such as light and sound, affect the hormone levels in the brain. These chemicals drive reactions and can either help or hinder healing (Linaraki, 2012). Healing can be defined as an internal process of transformation. Silent architecture may be a way to promote this process toward well-being. As defined by Day, silent architecture is balanced, simple, and timeless. It evokes a sense of calm and peacefulness in those who experience it (Day, 1995). These perceptions can be especially important to older generations. In an intergenerational living environment, the difference of ages is emphasized, and stress over changes that come with age can become prevalent (Moschis, 2007). Design that takes these issues into consideration should share qualities with the idea of silent architecture. Scale, proportion, “living lines”, unity of colors and materials are strategies that can positively impact psychological well-being (Day, 1995). It is suggested that the design of space can encourage a healing or calming effect in its inhabitants. This project will explore how Day’s principles of silent architecture can inspire healing and well-being in an intergenerational living environment. |
KIRBY THOMAS |
FOOD FOR THOUGHT:
IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR INTER-GENERATIONAL LIVING THROUGH DESIGN Growing, preparing, and consuming are three facets of food that contribute to enhancing inter-generational community living. Food has the ability to operate as a tool for increasing the health of individuals, communities, cities and even regions. It can bring vitality and conviviality to urban life encouraging social exchange and interaction. This research explores the three facets of food; growing preparing, and sharing; through literature review of concepts and ideas that contribute to the designed environment. Each study is then analyzed using psychologist Abraham Maslow’s study of the hierarchy of human needs for individual generations as well as a mixed group of generations. Maslow’ study identifies the necessary elements that increase human satisfaction. In an example of this study, Love and Belonging, one of Maslow’s needs, can be achieved by a study shown to have improved relationships by eating dinner together every night for people of all ages. From this exploration and analysis, one can determine design elements and/or design solutions for inter-generational community living that improve the quality of life. The significance of this research is to provide designers with a tool that can be used to promote healthy environments that strengthen community life for inter-generational living and provide opportunities for multiple generations to grow and flourish together. |
DANA WILLIAMSON |
SUSTAINABLE INTER-GENERATIONAL LIVING: WELL-BEING FOR ALL AGES USING COLOR AND LIGHT
Color and light have long been studied for their effects on people’s physical and mental health. It is especially important that the environments in which people live and work contribute to their health and well-being. A sustainable living environment that supports and enhances inter-generational community living would benefit from the positive health benefits of appropriate usage of color and light. Research has shown that people who live or work in dark, colorless environments are at increased risk of depression (Tonello, 2001). Studies have been made as to which specific colors have the capacity to heal (Park, 2009) and which colors most people—regardless of age, gender, or race—tend to prefer (Whitfield & Wiltshire, 1990). Research also indicates the positive health effects of daylight and certain wavelengths of artificial light (Rosch, 2009). These effects have been evaluated among elderly people—specifically studying whether light can improve aged people’s mobility (Aarts & Westerlaken, 2005). The positive effects of color and light on wayfinding and people’s ability to perceive the indoor (built) environment has been studied (Hidayetoglu, Yildirim, & Akalin. 2011). Through literature review, the proposed project will examine the ways in which color and light might contribute to sustaining a high quality of life, with a focus on the aging population and their ability to age in place. The purpose of this research is to understand how color and light can contribute to a healthy and safe inter-generational living environment. |
YAUNKUN YU |
GARDENING CREATES BETTER COMMUNITY FOR INTERGENERATIONAL LIVING
Horticulture has been regarded as the number one leisure activity and provides wonderful opportunity for exercise and socialization (Larson and Meyer). Preliminary research has found that adult participation in gardening results in significant improvement in physical health (Shoemaker and Lin), as well as mental health by creating feelings of pride, competence, and satisfaction (Larson and Meyer). Similarly, it is also beneficial for younger generations to be involved in gardening to stay healthy while learning lessons about accountability, nurturing, and responsibility (Larson and Meyer). Intergenerational gardening improves physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being for all participants (Larson and Meyer). Gardening with younger generations enables the baby boomer generation to take part in an energetic and nurturing atmosphere. Also benefiting, pre-school children receive the care and attention they need while aiding aging citizens in physical tasks. Intergenerational community gardening not only helps aging people to stay healthy with moderate exercises, but also educates younger generations about plants and responsibilities. It is suggested that the positive results of gardening can apply to all members of a community. This project will explore architectural approaches influencing the social behavior in green spaces to create a mutually beneficial and educational community for inter-generation living. Main research methods are to collect information and benefits about intergenerational gardening and synthesize them into a model for intergeneration housing design. |