Investigating the Factor of “Play” in Architectural Design for the Older Generation with Dementia in Hong Kong
Thesis Project Challenging Design Norms to Create Unique Experiences
While understanding dementia from elderly’s perspectives and learning about dementia care home design guidelines, I have come to realise that a lot of the existing facilities in dementia care homes in Hong Kong are directed at putting the elderly people with dementia at ease, and helping them remember things correctly. Through challenging the design norms by proposing spaces for elderly people with dementia to play games and have fun, I have learnt to think outside the box while designing and questioning the requirements needed for spaces. Designing from a community point of view with Sham Shui Po as my site, the proposed dementia-focused play spaces for elderly people are meant to create unique experiences for them to have fun and escape from reality. The Play Space pods and system showcases different ways to challenge regularity and stimulate their cognitive skills and coordination, which reverses their skills and at the same time reminding them that games are meant to be fun, and that they do not have to remember things correctly while they’re at the Play Space Utopia. The key takeaway from my project would be to look at designs from different perspectives, even if it means challenging the norms. Looking at the value of playing for elderly people with dementia instead of from a medical perspective has helped me understand them in a different way.
