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Designing interactive spaces for orphanage combined with elders' home

Article · August 2022

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International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Growth Evaluation www.allmultidisciplinaryjournal.com

Designing interactive spaces for orphanage combined with elders’ home

Ar. Pradnya Sajan Hankare 1*, Dr. Parag Govardhan Narkhede 2
1
Alumni, BKPS (Bharatiya Kala Prasarini Sabha's) College of Architecture, Pune, Maharashtra, India
2
H.O.D., BKPS (Bharatiya Kala Prasarini Sabha's) College of Architecture, Pune, Maharashtra, India

* Corresponding Author: Ar. Pradnya Sajan Hankare

Article Info Abstract

We live in a society where care for young and old is increasingly segregated. There is
very limited opportunity for both age groups to connect. For elders, the interaction is
ISSN (online): 2582-7138 expected to compensate for age-related deficits. In case of the young ones, an
Volume: 03 enhancing of growth and development is expected e.g., social behavior, communion
Issue: 04 goals. Social interaction and purposeful activities promote the physical and
July-August 2022 psychological state of children and older adults. The development of social interaction
Received: 14-07-2022; is closely related to physical and social context that complement the curative needs of
elderly people and the progressive needs of young children. Elderly people often face
Accepted: 27-07-2022 difficulties to find people to communicate with. To deal with this loneliness of the
Page No: 369-373 elderly, it’s been suggested to create more opportunities for children and elderly
people to participate in various collaborative activities. The research investigates that
how an architect can create platform for social activities that can ease communication
between the generations by creating a mutually enjoyable environment. This will
connect intergenerational perceptions and communication, and eventually contribute
to improving the well-being and relieving the loneliness experienced by many elderly
people and children in a combined orphanage and old age home. It is possible for an
architect to improvise the social context of space along with the improvised physical
ambience.

Keywords: activities, interaction, perception, orphan

Introduction
Childhood is a delicate stage in a human being’s life. Caring, loving and nurturing them is so important in order to have a rich
set of values and morals in them. The required care, love and nurture are generally provided to us by the elders in our families.
Now, talking about the elders. Many people end up abandoning their parents at old age homes who took care of them all their
lives. Also, lot of peoples lose houses and families in their old age, lose their jobs, and eventually are left alone.
Considering both cases we could conclude that they both lack a mutual feeling and that is deep affection, warmth, attachment
and love. Orphans always lack parental or elderly love and abandoned parents always lack the love gained from children. The
research investigates that how an architect can create platform for social activities that can ease communication between the
generations by creating a mutually enjoyable environment.

Objectives
 The main objective of this research is to design a better common interaction spaces for elderly and children.
 Background Research and Literature Review
 Understanding viewpoints and daily activities of two groups: orphans and elders by questionnaire survey and observation.
 Case Study analysis and comparison
 Proposing a well-designed project with interacting spaces.

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Methodology outdoor spaces, it was necessary to analyse case studies.

The paper is based on literature review from scholarly Thus, two case studies are analysed in detail in terms of
journals to set a background study and importance of this architectural planning and all necessary aspects.
research. A questionnaire survey was carried out at the old
age homes having sample size 56 (target was 50) to Questionnaire survey
understand their views regarding space, activities and Analysis based on the questionnaire survey with total sample
interaction. It was necessary to interview the aged people for size 56 done at;
appropriate finding and designing spaces. However were not 1) Matoshree Vruddhashram, Satara (29 people)
interviewed in the orphanage, instead site observation was 2) Samata Old age home, Satara (27 people)
done for appropriate findings. To propose a good design of

Fig 1: Analysis of Questionnaire Survey

 Most of the old people preferred to watch children play colourful festivals and nearby natural surroundings. They
around them in a park during their free time. play with animals and plants nearby. This helps them
 Few old men preferred interactive activity was indoor improve their mental health.
games as they loved playing board games like carrom  Psychological effectiveness of open spaces in children
and wished to play with kids. Also, women least  Through such spaces a child develops socialization skills
preferred playing indoor games as they didn’t know how  Gains knowledge of natural elements and surrounding
to play. environment
 Most of the old ladies preferred to watch entertainment  Physical skills develop
show with the children as compared to men.
Case Studies and Analysis
Observations at the Orphanage 1. Case 1 - Maher Ashram (Orphanage) and Old Age
Children tend to attract natural elements and colourful Home, Satara at Maharashtra, India
objects. They always spend most of their time in the outdoors. Maher trust aims to build the orphanage (ashram) in Satara to
Children have the tendency to move from place to place accommodate street children especially girls. The projects
without spending much time in one place. As per aims to provide shelter, education and basic needs to improve
observations, it is seen that children spend most of their time their quality of life. Apart from girls, old women who don't
in the open spaces. By interviewing the caretakers it was have home stay here and contribute to the organisation by
observed that children are most joyful at daytime, during helping in daily works like cooking and cleaning.

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Fig 2: Zoning diagram, and views of Maher Ashram

Architectural Aspects
Form & volume - very simple form but the courtyard inside The spaces of this building has a symbiotic relation between
is very proportionate & creates a feel of openness to the children and senior citizens. Children have an opportunity to
nature & surrounding. Pergolas at different levels perform interact with elders and learn a lot of things. At the same time
distinct roles. Materials -Exposed brick work for full length children’s fill the elders’ life with joy and affection.
of wall gives a monumental look to the building. Interesting Architectural Aspects:
use of primary & bright colours adds very playful and joyful
look towards Form & volume: Inter-relation & matrix of open, semi-open
& covered spaces
2. Case 2 - Ayudham Society for Old and Infant, Satara Materials: Exposed brick

Fig 3: Designed Spaces in the Ayudham Society

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Comparative Analysis

Table 1
Maher Orphanage and Old Age Home Ayudham Society for Old and Infirm
 Offices (admin wing)
 Offices (admin wing)
 Outpatient department
 Health care centre
 Meditation hall with library
 Dining hall
 Dining hall & kitchen
 Kitchen
Tangible spaces  Bedroom
 Dormitories and bedrooms
 Multipurpose hall
 Multipurpose area
 Living room
 Aanganwadi / prayer area
 Toddlers’ area
 Mother care room
 Computer lab
 Sthall - used as outdoor dine for children
 Central courtyard as Bindu
 Meditation hall - used as library
Intangible spaces  Terrace covered by pergolas -very interesting
 Lawn- used as assembly area as stage
shadow pattern and is used for festivals.
 Entrance pathway- used as evening walkway
 Separate rooms of 10 sq.m with attached toilet
 Separate room of 35 sq.m with attached toilet
for old ladies also for mentally disabled women
Types of Accommodation  Separate room of 25 sq.m with attached toilet
 Separate dormitory of 30 sq.m with attached
 Room of 16 sq,m
toilet for girls (16 girls)

Need of Recreational spaces for elderly

 To avoid daily tension and have privacy. The proposed design consists of a combined orphanage and
 Exercise has psychological and beneficial value.( open elders’ home. As per the analysis done in case studies and
air gym) questionnaire survey, it is preferable to have a combined
home for the both age groups. The project includes
recreational spaces, rooms, common spaces, educational
spaces, services and landscaping. The spaces are designed in
consideration of both age groups as well as universal design
principles.

Universal Design Guidelines

Access shall be provided from a prominent point or points on
the plot boundary, which is commonly used by the public or
Fig 4: Play area for children designed in between elders home and to a point directly adjacent to one entrance.
orphanage Requirements for Access Route
 The access route is designed to have sufficient width,
For a natural proper physical growth, experiences gained in thus single way is given 1200mm and two way is
the orphanage are important as well as experiences gained in designed as 1800 mm for ease of traffic.
social open spaces are important. Children define spaces  Access are free from barriers such as steps, kerbs,
differently according to their gathering with people and past doorways, interrupted lighting or objects and steep
experiences. ramps.
 The surface of the access rout is designed in brick paving
Proposed Design for Orphanage and Elders’ home in with grass spacing for percolation of water.
Satara  The ramp has low gradient for wheelchair access as well
as old people is designed (1 in 12 and 1 in 15 ) and width
is 2000mm
 Landing of minimum 2000 x 2000mm is given at every
start and end of ramp.
 Ramp kerbs are designed 150 mm high to prevent falling
down and metal rail is given above the kerb with height
600mm for wheelchair and disabled people to use.
 The floor of ramps is painted in bright colors having
much saturation. In the proposed design, blue, orange
and purple colors have been used to highlight circulation
pathways and ramps for vision.
 Where there is a change in level, the provision of a ramp
is an effective method to ensure largely independent
accessibility for persons with a disability and the elderly.

Dropped Kerbs
Fig 5: proposed designed orphanage with elders home in satara General Provision: Changes in level at kerbs shall be by a
with given common interactive play area and gardens for dropped kerb Dropped kerb shall be provided at pedestrian
interaction crossing and at each end of the footpath of a private street or

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access road. Kerb separating footpath or ramp from vehicular References

area shall also be a dropped kerb. 1. Arias E, Eden H, Fischer G, Gorman A, Scharff E.
Transcending the individual human mind-creating, 2000.
Requirements: Dropped kerb shall be constructed as 2. Shared understanding through collaborative design.
follows ACM Trans. Comput.-Hum. Interact. 2000; 7(1):84-113.
 Not less than 1200 mm in length and 1200 mm in width; 3. Salih SA. Criteria for Public Open Space Enhancement
 With a clearance of at least 800 mm long at the back of to Achieve Social Interaction, 2017.
the footway; 4. LIBBY J. Making Intergenerational Connections, 2017.
 Ramped at a gradient not steeper than 1:12; 5. URSULA S. Intergenerational Potential : Effects of
 With a level difference of not more than 15 mm with the social interactions between older adults and children,
vehicular areas; 2008.
 Provided with a tactile warning strip at 300mm from the 6. Çukur D. The Importance of Play and Spatial
vehicular areas; Arrangements That Increase the Value of Play around
 Provided with a tactile warning strip of the nominal Housing Architecture Issue. Accessed, 2015.
width of 600 mm at the ramp. 7. Moore C, Goltsman S, Iacofano SD. Play for All
Guidelines, Planning, Design and Management of
Design guidelines for children people for a garden design: Outdoor Play Settings for All Children. Berkeley: MIG
Social interaction is basic to playing and learning. Well- Communications, 1997.
designed seating and gathering areas provide settings in
which children can broaden and strengthen their social
relationships with each other and with the adults around
them. On educational sites, small and comfortable gathering
places are required where students and teachers can meet and
work together. Forms include benches, decks, patios,
verandas, gazebos and siting circles. Defined and separated
areas for continuousness of playground’s safety according to
design

Parameters to be considered while designing combined

orphanage and elders’ home
1. Security
2. Safety
3. Defined field of circulation between spaces
4. Adults should have space safer from playground but still
visible
5. Social interaction
6. Diversity of equipment
7. Natural Environment
8. Landscaping
9. Universal Design
10. Signage boards and suitable for all disabled types
11. Audio instructions in risky places such as lifts,
mechanical equipment
12. Adequate lighting in outdoor and indoor

Conclusion
The purpose of this research was to understand the both age
groups and the set the guidelines to design a better common
interaction space for elderly and children from combined
orphanage and elders’ home i.e., a garden which is decided
on the basis of survey where maximum elderly people felt to
spend their free time with children in a garden watching them
play and enjoy along with them. It is possible for an architect
to provide a social platform among intergeneration people for
certain building typologies like residential and associated
building typologies (e.g., Hostels, old age homes,
orphanages, building societies, rehabilitation centres etc.).
Although it is not compulsory or in any regulation to combine
these areas, the project benefits elders and children who
would like to interact with each other and find an
intergenerational human connection. This research study
aims in highlighting the importance of designing such
sensitive spaces with care and consideration.

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