Thesis (M.S.)--Boston University

The amount of people retiring in Sweden is increasing and will continue to do so in the future. Politicians have recognized a challenge in this demographic development and it is important that they act in time and in a way that satisfies the need. The disposable income for people above the age of 65 has increased the past years and continues to increase according to the Swedish Statistics forecast, this indicates that the retired people will have more money to spend on housing in the future. There are different types of living for elderly in Sweden; staying at home, senior living, secure living and nursing homes and an interesting question is if these will be adoptable in the future. New solutions, which address the demands for higher standards, will ease the social and security aspects for the residents as well as improve the work environment for the employees in the home care service business. These different solutions are not yet implemented in a large scale, but development show that they are influencing the future direction of building senior residencies. Retired couples who get ill at different times might not get to live together or near each other when they require different levels of assistance to manage daily life. Moving away from a familiar area, family and friends can be stressful. By placing different types of elderly living close to each other is a solution that might help decrease that stress. There are some solutions like this already on the market today and it is a solution worth investigating more. We believe that the availability of new and refurbished buildings needs to be more focused on easing the living for elderly people and may be achieved by implementing a certification system. Implementation and use of this certification system may create goodwill for investors and therefore force construction companies to build according to it. However a certification has to be requested by residents, municipalities and tenants, to be considered by the investors.

The nature of this essay explores the implementation of research-based design to the senior living concept and showcases how design can improve and empower the lives of our seniors as they hit retirement age. Over the course of the essay, the project will begin as a concept and navigate its way through the design processes until the concept is fully developed as a stand-alone package that speaks for itself. Maidstone Estates is built upon the guidelines of the Green House Project and outlines the mixed-use nature of design involving branding, building code, ADA compliance, universal design, and the three acuity levels of senior living: Independent Living, Assisted Living, and Memory Care. As of now, there are over 371 Green House homes across the country. This essay is designed to utilize the research-based design and implement it into the aesthetic of East Hampton, an area where there is a set standard for architecture and lifestyle, and to show that this model can be used anywhere and transform eldercare across the country and around the world.

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The inevitable changes to the built environment over time presents the question of what contemporary design is appropriate for existing historical context. This is inherently a wicked problem that is becoming increasingly important to designers in the 21st century. Wicked problems, as the connotation implies, are those that are multi-faceted, unique, and with innumerable possible solutions (Rittel, Webber 1973). Each individual architectural project is a cog in a city’s evolving machine, therefore no one project should ever be considered unimportant. As Robert Venturi said in his “Gentle Manifesto”, a designer should strive towards “messy vitality over obvious unity” (Venturi, 1966). Finding a simple design resolution is difficult if not impossible in a complex urban city layered with centuries of architecture. It is not necessary to copy the historic building next door, nor is it appropriate to design as if a site has no neighbors. The surrounding context should be evaluated for its mass, scale, program, history, and materials, among others, to inform and inspire a contemporary designer’s work. This thesis offers no “solution”; rather a series of design considerations. These considerations are by no means prescriptive, however. My aspiration is that this thesis can be used by future designers as a tool to prompt discussion and discovery about their own site specific project. / Master of Architecture

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the population over the age of 65 in Taiwan has reached over 7% of the total population, making Taiwan an aging society and the senior consumer market a target market with significant potential. This study attempts to identify, quantify, and target the potential of senior living. First, the study identifies the senior living market demand, and product examples within the senior living market. Secondly, the report quantifies the senior living market demand. Lastly, the study proposes a senior living community resort as an investment. The study targets the senior population over 60 years old, indigenous peoples over 55 years old, are capable of independent living, and spouses no less than 50 years old. The study method is based upon secondary research and comparative analysis. This research analyzes the current residential market for seniors, identifies trends in the senior residential market, and based on existing research on the senior living market; discuss product design, target market, and pricing strategies for a senior residential product. From this research, we provide an investment valuation model that can be used to develop an investment proposal for a community-style senior living resort. This study aims for two main contributions from this research. First, current studies on seniors currently do not address the investment possibilities of senior living resorts or provide an investment valuation model for a workable investment proposal. Secondly, this research report provides actual management experience and industry information appropriate for Taiwanese businesses that require an investment valuation model for the development of an investment plan of a community-style senior living resort.

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