Shadows in the dark: methodology for empowerment of elderly through architecture
Typ
Examensarbete för masterexamen
Program
Architecture and planning beyond sustainability, MSc
Publicerad
2022
Författare
Zaiteva, Marina
Modellbyggare
Tidskriftstitel
ISSN
Volymtitel
Utgivare
Sammanfattning
The thesis discusses a multilayered subject – the potential of elderly’s empowerment, and associated problems of the nowadays architectural practice.
Firstly, the thesis explores problems, connected to elderly. There’s an urge for a better environment because of an increasing ageing population. Isolation is a big problem among elderly. Elderly’s health and activity level create certain requirements for design, accessibility, and puts a demand for different types of housing, and services. People see elderly mostly as a group which only demands care, and do not contribute to the society. The authors’ idea is to change the youth-centered philosophy, and keep elderly as a part of a modern life, making them influential actors with the help of architecture. Architecture is a mediator between bodies and surroundings. And a well-designed space is a medicine. The goal is to change elderly from passive individuals into active and empowered participants of the society. It’s important to strengthen their contact with the community, reduce ageism, provide equal access, and participation. Involvement of elderly will create a positive healthy community, and it will benefit to all of residents.
Secondly, the thesis is an attempt to rethink the modern architectural practice and education. Teaching and practicing architecture should be improved, in order to meet a changing complexity of needs of the humanity and the environment. A drastically changed world, cities, society require an innovative approach, rather than that, which was developed a century ago, as well as it requires involving many different stakeholders. The discussion about it is open-ended, and should be taken as an ongoing process, where asking questions is more important, rather than finding answers.
Through many different tools, connected to interaction with elderly and architectural practice, a design methodology for elderly’s empowerment was created. The proposed methodology is a challenging step into a field of third age life improvement, and rethinking of the modern architectural practice.
With the development of this project, the author wants to promote “a culture of involvement”, equality, empowerment, and social sustainability.