Bhavna Naik

interior design

i. Elderly Care Home 4 24 32 iii. 3D Renderings ii. Selections & Styling

Elderly Care Home

a dementia care centre

Located amidst the bustling modern lifestyle, the elderly care home set to be in Building no. 5 at D3, will utilize intervention of design to create a perfect environment to suit senior citizens suffering from dementia. By fusing present day and traditional day living, the perimeter of the building, ground and mezzanine levels will be publicly accessible and transformed in such a way that it entices people of all ages and lures them into the area, thereby creating a community-like feel. The major space of the building will be set at the ground floor for public access. Both, the major and residential spaces will ensure to allow for sufficient exposure to sunlight as well as plenty of greenery that the users can also maintain as a way to keep themselves engaged. The spaces will be designed in a manner such that the users will be able to perform their daily tasks independently rather than relying on a caretaker, with the help of user-friendly technology (wherever appropriate) to further ease this process. Such a design that solely targets patients of this irreversible condition will, to a significant extent, help improve their quality of life.

Site Analysis

a dementia-friendly site

Dubai Design District is a purpose-built master-plan development located on Al Khail road, opposite Business Bay, dedicated to the design community including startups, entrepreneurs and established international design, luxury and fashion brands.

lighting

The site is fairly well-lit during the day, with pathways through and around the buildings allowing sunlight to seep into the internal spaces.

Dark shadows and bright glares are created on the floor at night, posing as a threat to the elderly as these could be viewed by them as dark holes.

accessibility

A bus stop is situated right in front of the site, and is readily available for pick-up and drop-off to and from the Dubai Mall metro station.

Footpaths are wide enough and installed all around, allowing for free movement. Cafes, restaurants and shops are set up at corners to serve as ‘resting spots.

Building no. .5

Ground Level Floor Plan

Mezzanine Level Cafe visual

The mezzanine level serves as a space to display works created by the residents at the Art Studio situated on the ground level. It also acts as a cafe space, and is well lit with a splash of colours form the paintings. Having the users’ artwork portrayed gives them a sense of happiness and accomplishment and in turn, positively impacts their mental health.

Level 5 Floor Plan

Residential Common Room visual

A common room is situated on every level of the residence floors, which includes an open kitchen, ample dining space and booths to give the users a place to meet and interact with staff as well as other residents.

Section AA’

Section DD’

concept design Major Space

A sensory garden is fabricated as a major interaction space in the care centre, as a garden environment with the purpose of stimulating the senses. This stimulation occurs courtesy of plants and the use of materials that engage one’s senses of sight, smell, touch, taste, and sound, at the same time creating an ideal space to interact with others, which could benefit them highly in terms of mental health and physical strength.

The concept of “knots” was derived from the idea of an intergenerational design “tying” people closer together. Knots have various patterns that includes a series of loops. Some of these loops are formed far apart from their center points which indicates a certain amount of privacy in the design. Although, however complex they may be, they still manage to come back to a common pointsimilarly indicating a social environment.

Enclosed/semi-private space Garden space

Major Space design development

Drawing inspiration from the different knot patterns, the initial designs were created on the basis of providing both a lounging area as well as greenery for the users to interact with, at floor level.

Tall, vertical wooden beams, creating a semi-private space.

ii.

A green wall, to allow for interaction within the users’ reach.

Developing on the concept of the vertical green wall, the next few designs involved a change in floor level to encourage physical movement and to further differentiate the areas.

iii.

Levelled seating/lounging space (FFL+1700mm), integrated with the garden area and a ramp at 1:12 ration for ease of mobility

iv.

Staircase ramp integrated into the design to allow users to enter the space from the different entrances/elevators. Plants placed alongside the edges of raised levels within reach of users

Lounge space on the platform, consisting of soft, rounded furniture. The space is surrounded by plants, creating a sense of nature indoors and allowing users to relax in the space.

Major Space Design

sensory garden and lounge

The sensory garden is combined with a cafe and lounge area to promote social activities between people of different generations - being the key space of this intergenerational care centre.

Situated on the ground floor, this area would be open to public, allowing for social interaction with different generations, helping to enhance their mental and physical health.

terazzo polished concrete cedar wood maple wood wool upholstery

Technical Plan Rendered Plan

A-A

Elevation

B-B

Elevation

Contrasting colours used in order to be able to differentiate between the change in floor levels.

Ramp at 1:12 ration to allow for the elderly to travel with ease. The gentle slope allows them to indulge in movement, which is a crucial aspect of their well-being.

Plants within reach for the users to interact with

Residential Space design development

Two spaces in the accommodation completely separated from each other by a wardrobe unit. Each resident in this scenario would have their own bathroom space, however would lead to spatial restrictions

ii.

The room consists of a wall with wardrobes on either sides of the bed, to create a semi-private space with a large, shared bathroom space.

Residential Space Design

Taking into consideration the difficulties associated with dementia patients, a combination of cool, warm and contrasting tones are incorporated into the accommodation spaces to be able to differentiate between different elements within the space.

Layers of lights such as wall sconces, recessed lighting and table lamps help to brighten up the space at times of the day when ample daylight isn’t available, to avoid contrasting shadows that may cause confusion.

cotton upholstery mosaic oak wood

Wall situated at the center of the room, separating the two bed spaces from each other

Dual purpose shelving unit, serving as a space for the users to display their memorabilia. The raised edges of the shelves act as railings for support

Seating space near the windows for the users to receive ample sunlight, regulating their sleep patterns and maintaining good health