1.3 OUTLINE BRIEF: This mini-dissertation presents the design of an intergenerational retirement community for the elderly in Mayville, Pretoria. This mini-dissertation explores a possible strategy model for retirement communities for application in various retirement communities throughout the elderly residential landscape of South Africa. The proposed retirement community seeks to create a sense of community and place not only within the boundaries of the site a retirement strategy that bleeds over the edges and creates meaningful connections with the surrounding context. The community will incorporate the elderly that live within the boundaries and extend to the incorporation of individuals (of all ages) who live off the premises. Furthermore, the proposed retirement community will integrate public space and intergenerational social and learning spaces to create a symbiotic relationship between the elderly and younger generations of South Africa. Hopefully, this symbiotic relationship will benefit the younger generations and allow the elderly to regain a new goal and purpose in retirement that could aid in the ongoing battle against loneliness and social isolation.
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*Intergenerational: relating to, involving, or affecting several generations (lEXICO, N.D.).
01: INTRODUCTION
01: INTRODUCTION
This mini-dissertation explores the following design considerations: • Facilitating inclusion and encouraging diversity (in elderly care facilities typically seen as homogenous) to create a socially healthier environment for the elderly. • Creating a healthy living environment with a sense of place incorporating various design principles from The Death and Life of Great American Cities by Jane Jacobs, A Pattern Language by Christopher Alexander, Murray Silverstein, and Sara Ishikawa, and ‘15 principles for designing great civic places’ by Peter Ciemitis. • Introducing social elements and public space into a facility that is traditionally seen as a closed-off medical facility. • Incorporating nature throughout the proposed retirement community to satisfy the people’s innate need to be connected with nature.
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