After the Second World War, Belgium experienced a great housing shortage. On the initiative of The Ideal Home, The National Yards were built. These social housing units are a symbol of post-war reconstruction, and had to offer shelter to war victims from badly affected areas. One of the better known is De Nationale Werf in Borgerhout. It was designed in 1946 by Renaat Braem, George Brosens and Florent Laforce. In the Jakob Smitstraat, the connecting street between the Boelaerpark and the Gitschotelhof nursing home, there are two apartment buildings and 30 single-family homes that represent this construction site. These small family homes originally had a common front yard, but this was soon divided into private gardens. Finally, each home was given a private garden whose size depended on its location in the street
The National yards are waiting for a reallocation and in my master thesis project I want to explore the possibilities of the reallocation of this neighborhood into a Senior Co-housing project. Responding to the location and the spatial characteristics of this residential area and the contemporary social problems with regard to housing seniors, this rezoning was chosen. The social problem mainly concerns the loneliness of the elderly. As designers, we have the necessary design tools and skills, which we can use to promote social interaction. In my master thesis I examine, in the context of co-housing, which spatial interventions facilitate meeting within a residential area. I still do this while respecting the privacy of individuals. I will focus on the design of both the private and public interiors within this housing estate to achieve my objective.
In order to improve social interaction in the houses, the original typology of the small single-family houses is modified. Two adjoining houses are transformed into one large residential module in which four apartments are provided. Namely, two larger apartments that can accommodate a couple, and two apartments designed for one individual. This new configuration has several advantages. The fact that two residential units are merged means that only one staircase needs to be retained. This means that a common entrance hall is present for all residents of the 'unit'.Each apartment is designed as a full apartment, meaning that there are no shared functions. Each resident possesses sufficient privacy. Furthermore, each apartment has an outdoor terrace where you can enjoy the outdoors in peace.
I already mentioned that The National Yard is a symbol of post-World War II reconstruction. That means that the houses have important modernist features. An important feature in this case is the inside-outside boundary. In the current construction of the house, a lot of natural light is drawn in, but the living units lack an open feeling. For this reason, I am going to do an extension in a steel skeleton structure. By using this skeleton structure, it will be possible to provide large window frames at the backside which will make the interior space also appear as an exterior space and visa versa.
For the interior finishes, we chose to respect the original design style. The characteristics of mid century modern can still be felt very strongly in the house. Therefore, during the renovation, a few features were chosen and refined. These are material selection, indoor-outdoor boundary and natural lighting.
I already mentioned that The National Yard is a symbol of post-World War II reconstruction. That means that the houses have important modernist features. An important feature in this case is the inside-outside boundary. In the current construction of the house, a lot of natural light is drawn in, but the living units lack an open feeling. For this reason, I am going to do an extension in a steel skeleton structure. By using this skeleton structure, it will be possible to provide large window frames at the backside which will make the interior space also appear as an exterior space and visa versa.
For the interior finishes, we chose to respect the original design style. The characteristics of mid century modern can still be felt very strongly in the house. Therefore, during the renovation, a few features were chosen and refined. These are material selection, indoor-outdoor boundary and natural lighting.
Loneliness is a phenomenon that occurs in all age groups, but as we saw, it is especially prevalent among seniors. This repurposing project shows how the interior designer can contribute to optimizing social interaction. The repurposing of the National Yard into a senior co-housing project can be used as an example case study with respect to this social problem. By means of spatial interventions in the private and public interiors, the residents are stimulated and confronted more with the possibilities of social interaction.
The question I started from; "How can we stimulate the social interaction of the elderly by means of spatial interventions and spatial concepts such as co-housing?", I have been able to answer throughout this master thesis. What emerges is that the senses play a major role during stimulating social interaction. Sight and hearing are the two most important senses. I respond to sight by maintaining an overview of the site. The shape and type of plantings provide shelter and/or overview. The placement of seating furniture must also take into account the degree to which an overview is maintained. Most important with the sense of sight is the choice to interact or avoid. Hearing offers the same possibility. All of the design choices that were made were adjusted for this. From my research I can conclude that spatial interventions can significantly stimulate social interaction. The solutions I investigated during my master's thesis can serve as an example case study within this issue.