Designing public spaces, including housing environment, should take into account demographic studies and forecasts relating to the position of older people in the contemporary world. Due to the common phenomenon of aging in European societies, there is a need to adjust architecture to the needs of the elderly. Nowadays, there has been a clear improvement in the approach to designing public spaces and appropriate residential forms for senior citizens and disabled people. Regrettably, in the Polish reality not all constitutional provisions are acknowledged, and architectural barriers are impossible to overcome for the elderly, which causes isolation of this social group. On the basis of relevant research, a division could be made into two groups of people: the elderly who live in their own homes – independently, people using Day Care Centres, using Home Care services, and using nursing homes – in the formula of independent living, assisted living, and nursing home. The latter are getting more and more popular in western countries, where entire centres are built, adjusted to the needs of the elderly who live in them independently. There are many examples of the application of innovative architectural forms intended for and adjusted to a specific community of elderly people, whose needs, values, and lifestyle are specific. It is worth mentioning the nursing home in Alcácer do Sal, or Santa Rita Geriatric Center. Whereas the former complex looks very impressive from the outside and it naturally blends in the topography of the land, the dominating white brings associations with a hospital. The other project, perhaps less attractive from the outside, was designed by the architect as an optimistic place, encouraging to go on living, and creating the atmosphere of vitality. In Poland, the most popular are small facilities, family social welfare centres, or housing estates for senior citizens. Thanks to EU funds there are many programmes and social initiatives whose goal is to activate people aged >60. In our country, too, we can find examples of centres for senior citizens, e.g. the TriVita Care Nursing Home in Porąbka, the external form of which seems quite mediocre when compared to architectural projects implemented globally; nevertheless, the surrounding area, picturesque views, the distance from the hustle and bustle of cities fosters the sense of wellness of senior citizens. An interesting alternative could be the Senior Home in the Nowe Żerniki housing estate in Wrocław. This project is an attempt to combine the needs of three generations: senior citizens, adults, and children in one housing estate. In the context of demographic forecasts, the search of systemic solutions, and not one-off architectural concepts and studies, seems to be particularly important. The concept of integration and adaptation of public spaces to the needs of the elderly and the disabled should become a fact.

Projektowanie przestrzeni publicznej, w tym środowiska mieszkaniowego, powinno uwzględniać badania i prognozy demograficzne, dotyczące pozycji ludzi starszych we współczesnym świecie. W związku z powszechnym zjawiskiem starzenia się społeczeństw europejskich istnieje potrzeba dostosowania architektury do potrzeb starszych osób. W podejściu do kształtowania przestrzeni publicznej oraz właściwych form mieszkaniowych dla seniorów i niepełnosprawnych nastąpiła w dzisiejszych czasach wyraźna poprawa, niestety w rzeczywistości polskiej nie wszystkie zapisy konstytucyjne znajdują potwierdzenie a bariery architektoniczne są dla ludzi starszych nie do pokonania, co sprzyja izolacji tej grupy społecznej. Opierając się na badaniach można dokonać podziału na osoby starsze mieszkające we własnym domu – samodzielne, korzystające z Domów Dziennych, korzystające z usług Opieki Domowej oraz korzystające z domów opieki – w formule independent living, assisted living, Dom Opieki. Te ostatnie cieszą się na Zachodzie coraz większą popularnością, gdzie powstają całe centra dostosowane do potrzeb mieszkających w nich samodzielnie osób starszych.

Istnieje wiele przykładów zastosowania innowacyjnych form architektonicznych przeznaczonych i dostosowanych do konkretnej społeczności starszych ludzi, których potrzeby, wartości i styl życia są specyficzne. Warto wspomnieć Nursing home in Alcacer do Sal czy Santa Rita Geriatric Center. O ile pierwszy kompleks wygląda imponująco na zewnątrz i wtapia się naturalnie w topografię działki, to jednak dominująca biel przywodzi na myśl szpital. Druga realizacja może mniej atrakcyjna zewnętrznie w zamierzeniu architekta miała być optymistyczna, zachęcać do życia i stwarzać atmosferę witalności. W Polsce największą popularnością ciszą się miniplacówki, Rodzinne Domy Pomocy Społecznej, albo Osiedla dla Seniorów. Dzięki funduszom unijnym powstało wiele programów i społecznych inicjatyw, mających na celu aktywizację ludzi po 60. roku życia. Można i w naszym kraju odnaleźć przykłady ośrodków dla seniorów, np. Dom Opieki TriVita Care w Porąbce, którego bryła zewnętrzna wypada dość przeciętnie na tle światowych realizacji architektonicznych, niemniej otoczenie, malownicze widoki, oddalenie od zgiełku miast sprzyja dobremu samopoczuciu seniorów. Interesującą alternatywą może okazać się Dom Seniora na Osiedlu Nowe Żerniki we Wrocławiu. Ten projekt jest próbą połączenia na wspólnym osiedlu potrzeb trzech pokoleń – seniorów, dorosłych i dzieci. Ważne wydaje się w kontekście prognoz demograficznych poszukiwanie rozwiązań systemowych, a nie pojedynczych pomysłów i opracowań architektonicznych. Idea integracji i adaptacji przestrzeni publicznych do potrzeb osób starszych i niepełnosprawnych powinna stać się faktem.

Designing for the Elderly and the Disabled

Abstract

Designing public spaces, including housing environment, should take into account demographic studies and forecasts relating to the position of older people in the contemporary world. Due to the common phenomenon of aging in European societies, there is a need to adjust architecture to the needs of the elderly. Nowadays, there has been a clear improvement in the approach to designing public spaces and appropriate residential forms for senior citizens and disabled people. Regrettably, in the Polish reality not all constitutional provisions are acknowledged, and architectural barriers are impossible to overcome for the elderly, which causes isolation of this social group. On the basis of relevant research, a division could be made into two groups of people: the elderly who live in their own homes – independently, people using Day Care Centres, using Home Care services, and using nursing homes – in the formula of independent living, assisted living, and nursing home. The latter are getting more and more popular in western countries, where entire centres are built, adjusted to the needs of the elderly who live in them independently. There are many examples of the application of innovative architectural forms intended for and adjusted to a specific community of elderly people, whose needs, values, and lifestyle are specific. It is worth mentioning the nursing home in Alcácer do Sal, or Santa Rita Geriatric Center. Whereas the former complex looks very impressive from the outside and it naturally blends in the topography of the land, the dominating white brings associations with a hospital. The other project, perhaps less attractive from the outside, was designed by the architect as an optimistic place, encouraging to go on living, and creating the atmosphere of vitality. In Poland, the most popular are small facilities, family social welfare centres, or housing estates for senior citizens. Thanks to EU funds there are many programmes and social initiatives whose goal is to activate people aged >60. In our country, too, we can find examples of centres for senior citizens, e.g. the TriVita Care Nursing Home in Porąbka, the external form of which seems quite mediocre when compared to architectural projects implemented globally; nevertheless, the surrounding area, picturesque views, the distance from the hustle and bustle of cities fosters the sense of wellness of senior citizens. An interesting alternative could be the Senior Home in the Nowe Żerniki housing estate in Wrocław. This project is an attempt to combine the needs of three generations: senior citizens, adults, and children in one housing estate. In the context of demographic forecasts, the search of systemic solutions, and not one-off architectural concepts and studies, seems to be particularly important. The concept of integration and adaptation of public spaces to the needs of the elderly and the disabled should become a fact.