Design for Aging

The DFA November Committee Meeting was delighted to have Brian Baldor from NYC HPD to present new HPD Design Guidelines, focusing on items related to senior housing, mostly new construction (NC). The update was triggered by HPD’s commitment to decarbonization, electrification and emphasis on affordable housing, referring to Climate Resiliency Design Guidelines, dates for Local Law 154 to eliminate gas use in new construction, and Building and Land Use Approval Streamlining Taskforce (BLAST).

Among the HPD’s New Construction Updates of sustainability, resiliency and design and programmatic requirements, Brian talked especially about senior housing and aging in place:

• Housing with seniors in at least 50% of units must provide adequate backup power generation to ensure that at least one elevator remains functional during an emergency, and a community space served as a “Place of Refuge” with natural ventilation and lighting and equipped with backup power for heating, cooling, WiFi, etc.
• To accommodate aging in place, space must have consistent light levels, dual handrails and slip-resistant stair strips, grab bars and accessible bathroom fixtures, and interior and exterior doors to be easily accessible.

The New Construction Two-Track Expedited Design Review Process includes:

• Design review for new projects which are very useful for special needs housing: Full design review – giving feedback on accessibility; Targeted design review – excluding accessibility if there is an accessibility consultant as part of the team; and Expedited pathway – no further reviews.
• Mandatory Design Consultation held around 10 months before closing to discuss key Guidelines items, non-sustainability scope items, and address any questions or concerns the development team may have.
• NC Design Guidelines Workbook transitioned from the Project Summary and submitted by the development teams throughout the process. It can be a useful tool to understand the projects.

The complete meeting agenda with an extended list of ideas from previous meetings and events in formation for Tafel Hall panels can be accessed here. Please note that the DFA December Committee meeting will take pace on Thursday, December 14, featuring landscape architect Brian Bainnson from Portland, Oregon to talk to us about the Portland Memory Garden, a memory garden in a public park. We look forward to seeing everyone in December!

This month we’ve enjoyed a tour of the Sage Center Brooklyn at Stonewall House on October 11 given by Ted Porter, AIA, as part of this year’s Archtober events. Ted Porter Architecture’s design of the SAGE Center provided a welcoming space where older adults can enjoy services and programs related to arts and culture, food and nutrition, fitness, health and wellness, and lifelong education within a warm, inviting setting.

Following the presentation of the project Avandell Dementia Village by Rich Rosen, AIA, and Geoffrey Roesch, ASLA, AIA in the September Committee Meeting , this month DFA Committee started to put together a project to advocate Alzheimer’s Memory Gardens to be incorporated in NYC Parks. The target was to research on ideal areas, with the goal of having one in each borough, that could potentially be presented to the Parks Department.

In November the Committee Meeting will take place on Tuesday, November 21 since that Thursday is Thanksgiving. HPD will present new design guidelines, focusing on items related to senior housing during the meeting. So don’t miss it!

The DFA September Committee Meeting was delighted to feature Rich Rosen, AIA, and Geoffrey Roesch, ASLA, AIA, both Principals at Perkins Eastman, who shared insights into one of their firm’s current project: Avandell Dementia Village, which was prominently featured in a recent New York Times article:

“As yet, there are no dementia villages in the United States, apart from a Hogeweyk-inspired dementia-care day center in South Bend, Ind. But one is in development in Holmdel, N.J., with plans to open its doors in the next two to three years. Designed by Perkins Eastman, an architecture firm based in New York, Avandell will comprise 15 homes in a farmhouse aesthetic, to reflect the rural surroundings. The suburban-style community is set to include a town center with a grocery store, bistro and community center. … Preparing for the future has been baked into the model.” – Joann Plockova, New York Times

Rich and Geoffrey described what dementia care was like 30 years ago, taking Perkins Eastman’s 1992 project Woodside Place in Oakmont, PA as example. Compared to other dementia facilities of the time, the scale at Woodside Place went from a large institutional setting to a much smaller building. The building was divided into three household wings, where 10 residents were grouping with dining and living areas, with access to secure landscaped gardens. Each house had a visual theme used for cueing and wayfinding to help orient residents. Another innovative feature was the Dutch door that when the upper half is left open, staff could look into private bedrooms for monitoring and residents don’t feel locked up. 

Then came the Green House Project, which created beginnings of a village. Following were many other residential care projects all around the nation. In Europe there were also Hogeweyk Village in Amsterdam, Netherland, which was a small town with invisible secure perimeter, where 168 residents were surrounded by equal number of trained staff wearing everyday clothes. Based on the related research and project experiences, Perkins Eastman then began to create white papers on senior living – Perkins Eastman Thought Leadership, publication – Missing Main Street, and Podcast on Dementia – Shaping Dementia Environments, interviewing people in US and Canada who had developed unique dementia programs.

Larry Carlson, recently retired CEO of United Methodists in NJ, thought that there had to be a better way to have residences for those with dementia. He began working with Perkins Eastman to create Avandell Dementia Village. With human-centered approach to design, this project sets up a shared dementia-friendly environment, for 105 residents in 15 houses organized in neighborhoods that are connected without going outside. Buildings are developed in a weaving model, focusing on the three themes of empowered self, meaningful place and authentic community, creating opportunities for the residents to personalize their rooms. The project is expected to open in two years.

Besides the wonderful sharing from Rich and Geoffrey, DFA also have two relevant events in this month:

• Archtober event – SAGE Center Brooklyn at Stonewall House Tour on October 11, where Ted Porter Architecture gave a tour of the SAGE center and showcased their design which provide a welcoming space where older adults can enjoy services and programs related to arts and culture, food and nutrition, fitness, health and wellness, and lifelong education within a warm, inviting setting.
• New York School of Interior Design Studio Presentations on October 10 at the Center, where New York School of Interior Design professional-level Master of Fine Arts in Interior Design (MFA1) students presented their research and design projects from last year’s Interior Design Studio II focusing on Universal Design Principles and Accessibility in the residential environment.

The complete meeting agenda with an extended list of ideas from previous meetings and events in formation for Tafel Hall panels can be accessed here. Please note that the DFA October Committee meeting will take pace on Wednesday, October 25, adjusted date because of Annual Bond Gala taking place on 10/26. We look forward to seeing everyone in October!

The DFA July Committee Meeting was delighted to feature Jeffrey Rosenfeld, Ph.D. who gave an amazing presentation about Alzheimer’s Gardens. Jeff is a gerontologist who is involved in product-design and interior-design for older people. In addition to his consulting, Jeff is on the faculty at Parsons School of Design, where he teaches Design For Aging Populations. His books include Home Design in an Aging World, and also Unassisted Living. Both books were written with architect Wid Chapman, AIA. Jeff’s next book will be titled, Alzheimer’s Gardens: Designed For Healing.

Looking for inspiration in the book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John John Berendt, there’s no memory or recollection of what was when you have Alzheimer’s, including sight, hearing, touch, and smell. Alzheimer’s Gardens are environments where patients can access memories or sensations. They provide therapeutic components including circular or figure eight paths (they like to wander a lot), fragrant flowers in containers or growing in the soil, wind chimes, secure boundaries (some kind of fence), occasional seating (benches or chairs), and sunny and shady patches. However issues such as garden infrastructures, garden botanicals and humans in the garden (more than just for residents) need to be planned and addressed.

In the presentation Jeff showcased examples in Hampton Court, UK, Port Macquarie, Australia and Dax, France. His Alzheimer’s Garden Project for course Design for Aging Populations, Parsons School of Design will be given funding for poster sized designs that can be shared. Also, he has become enthusiastic in park benches after he brought his student’s “intergenerational bench” to the NY Parks Department. In the Q&A session attendees had extensive discussion about it, and the Committee expressed interests to get some of Jeff’s students’ work to be displayed at the Chapter.

After the presentation, members shared some resources and news regarding design for aging, such as:

• KS Handbook for Age Friendly Communities
• WHO Housing and Health Design Guidelines
• AARP International’s Equity by Design webinars
• Giesserei Multi-Generational House
• The over-65 rental market is growing: 5 apartment upgrades that boost appeal
• ADU student design competition released by Montclair Gateway 
  • Registration for undergraduates ends September 20
  • Deadline for submissions on October 25

Events and presentations in formation includes:

• Richard Rosen/Perkins-Eastman will present their ongoing project: September 28 in DFA Committee Meeting
• Potential collaboration with WIA committee on Women Led Architecture Firms and Design for Aging: Q1, 2024

The complete meeting agenda with an extended list of ideas from previous meetings and events in formation for Tafel Hall panels can be accessed here. Please note that DFA Committee has no August monthly meeting. We look forward to seeing everyone in September!

On May 18, the AIANY Design for Aging committee was pleased to host Yutaka Takiura, AIA, Associate Professor at Pratt Institute and his students Changxin Li, Sophie McCartney, Yuyao Fu, Sarena Wu, Yanya Mei, Yuqing Lei, Byoungwook Kim, Yanyu Yang, Salvi Bhila, and Yuzhi Wang from the course “Design for Aging and Beyond” on a presentation of their research and design proposals. Interior Design and Architecture students in the class have explored how to improve and support the quality of life for older populations. Their projects emphasized holistic approaches to frequently complex problems. Their ideas ranged from adapting kitchens and living rooms to be more accessible and responsive to reimagining whole blocks of homes as a combination of public and private spaces. An in-depth article covering this event can be found here. A complete replay can be viewed here.