Intergenerational Interdependence : Addressing Social Isolation Through Spatial Strategies within the Domestic Realm

Abstract: According to the United Nations, by the year of 2050, 16% ofthe world’s population will be over the age of 65, that is one in six people.¹ Considering this, there is more need than ever to bridge the generation gap. Prior research on the theme of different kinds of domestic efficiency, led me to a comparative study between mass produced housing and collective living. I spoke in favour of the values of social sustainability at the price of economically superior construction methods. Departing then from the subject of social isolation and involuntary loneliness versus togetherness, I landed on the topic of elderly care and intergenerational interdependence. This paper proposes the need of intergenerational housing and therefore my method for approaching this theme is through designing a combined elderly care home, student housing and preschool. My findings suggest that the environment which surrounds us impacts us in a number of ways, as does the ambiance, the people, and the relationships we have with them. Therefore, I aim to create a space with a warm and familiar feel as opposed to an impersonal and institutional one and a place where relationships between different age groups can naturally blossom.