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Human existence is inherently intergenerational. We begin our journey in the world learning and benefiting from older members of society and the legacy they have created. Later in life this dependency becomes an exchange and eventually the order, in many cases, is reversed and a pattern of succession repeated. We are interested in this succession at both a human and an urban scale, and consider the ways in which this might influence how we design spaces for all ages, both now and in the future.
From multi-generational living to buildings with more complex functions, we can identify typologies that enhance the social benefits of age difference and succession. Housing, hospitals, workspaces, places of exchange, infrastructure and public space all exist in a state of flux and succession. It is critical that we design with change in mind, acknowledging that, as society adapts, so must the cities and functions that support it.
Architecture typically has a slow gestation. The fundamental evolution of known building typologies takes time to negotiate and establish. With this comes a responsibility to understand and interpret critically the way we live and want to live – and ultimately to leave the built environment greater and more beautiful than it was transmitted to us.
This year Studio 2A explored notions of age, succession and intergenerational communities. We researched and designed for more sustainable living, working and recreational enjoyment, with age as a focus. This idea was read both as a cultural, social and environmental exercise and was seen in the context of the annual theme of ‘Cultural Understanding’.
We asked the questions: How do you want to live when you are 65+? What are the impacts of an ageing population and can we design the built environment to deal positively with this change? How would you like to connect with your contemporaries? How do we design to exploit the benefits of intergenerational exchange in the best possible way? Can you sow the seeds of new types of intergenerational communities, able both to work now and to adapt to the needs of successive generations?