Grace Davidson

Overview

Creating a place for elderly residents to call home became the driving focus of this design proposal for a dementia-friendly care home on the outskirts of Musselburgh. A group masterplan strategy and site research led to the exploration of the themes of connectivity, identity, safety and biodiversity to provide a site with high-quality elderly housing. Collaborative work with Mingxi Cao -who designed the attached extra care housing- was vital to the design of our shared courtyard and program for the shared lower ground floor spaces. This includes a craft room, bar, screen room and library, which allow people to maintain interests and interact with a wider community. All of the drawings and the design included are my own work.

Design

From approach, the care home looks like a row of townhouses with only two stories visible so residents and visitors feel they are approaching a home, not an intimidating facility. To preserve identity, people live in households of 10, where they have shared as well as private living space. Private rooms providing space to relax, keep belongings and entertain guests as well as a bedroom.

Connection to the natural environment for its therapeutic, sensory, mental and physical benefits led to the creation of a series of courtyards. These bring spaces for activity and relaxation, encourage diverse species and easy access for the elderly, while also keeping them safe.