PROPERTY
CREATING A SAFE HAVEN
Sharlene Young, Founder and Principal of Symbiotic Living Architecture & Design, shares expert advice on using design to optimise connection and sanctuary for age-friendly living.
Creating safe, comfortable and supportive environments is paramount when designing senior living communities and care homes. This is equally true in adapting or creating properties for ageing at home. In any residential setting, a home should be a living space that nurtures mental, emotional and physical wellbeing.
One way to create such impactful spaces is with biophilic design, which is increasingly recognised for its measurable benefits on occupants of buildings. Biophilic design is about integrating multi- sensory experiences of nature into the built environment to boost physical, cognitive and emotional health
OBSERVING THE WORLD FROM A PLACE OF SHELTER
Having a visual connection with nature makes us feel good, but at the same time, we want to feel safe from the outside world and to have privacy. There has been significant research into the origins of psychology and behaviour of needing to be on the lookout for predators from a safe haven as we evolved from being hunter-gatherers.
Prospect/refuge theory is about the human need to feel a connection with the natural world but from a protected setting. Whether designing properties for independent living communities, care homes or individual domestic buildings, the ideal design models will recognise this key principle and use it as a guide. There are a range of design elements we can introduce to create living spaces which satisfy the core need for both openness and protection.
We can feel the most calm and secure in our home when we achieve the right balance of prospect and refuge. And getting the balance right isn't just about enhancing our mood. Studies reveal that the visual connection with nature, or ‘prospect’, not only makes us more cheerful and less anxious, but also offers tangible physical benefits. It helps regulate our sleep-wake
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cycles, improving sleep quality and overall wellbeing; lowers blood pressure and stress hormones, while the exposure to daylight boosts alertness and cognitive function and aids Vitamin D production.
PROSPECT: SUPPORTING CONNECTION
There are many ways to achieve a sense of openness and outward views through design – from the orientation of the building and the layout of its interior spaces to the framing of views, the provision of direct access to the outdoors, and the landscaping as seen from inside and experienced firsthand. Engagement with others, with nature and feeling connected are all vital, particularly for mental wellbeing. With isolation and loneliness being a serious issue for many, especially amongst the older population, there are ways for the designer to incorporate elements into living spaces to combat this in a comfortable way.
These include: •
Installing expansive picture windows framing dynamic garden views.
• Designing high vantage points. •
Installing skylights which offer an ever-changing canvas of the sky.
• Ensuring that there are open-plan sightlines indoors. • Using glass doors to allow visual connection between interior spaces.
• Making clever use of mirrors to extend sightlines and create a feeling of spaciousness.
REFUGE: THE SECURITY OF SANCTUARY
Designing with ‘refuge’ in mind will bring real benefits to those living in a community-orientated environment or in building with shared facilities that supports the additional needs of residents. Using prospect and refuge makes living space in the
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