Neighbours
A social interactive living environment with the elderly
K. Kleine Punte (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
B Jürgenhake – Mentor (TU Delft - Public Building and Housing Design)
A.B.J. van Deudekom – Graduation committee member (TU Delft - Architectural Technology)
L.M. Oorschot – Graduation committee member (TU Delft - Teachers of Practice / A)
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Abstract
The amount of elderly people in the Netherlands is increasing rapidly. In conjunction with the individualization of the population, this has led to a number of problems. There is a lack of suitable houses for the elderly, a lack of money and nursing staff in the health care sector and a high rate of loneliness among the population. New housing forms for elderly cannot be omitted and having social interaction and taking a moment to help your neighbours should become normal again. This research aims to find new ways in which architecture could contribute to a living environment where elderly in need of light care live together with people of different ages and households. The main question that is addressed in this research is: “What architecture and built environment features can encourage social interaction in a living environment between elderly in need of light care and their neighbours?”. To conduct this research, the most commonly used method is anthropological research. This is supplemented by literature research and case studies. The results of this study are a wide range of architectural aspects, on different scales (dwelling, building block, neighbourhood), that stimulate interaction between elderly in need of light care and their neighbours. These aspects are translated in design guidelines.