Vestige of Life_Healthcare Building for Alzeimers_Yufei(Serena) Zhong_2021_SCAD_INSPIRELI

Savannah College of Art and Design

Project idea

Memory is the best proof that a person has ever existed in this world. It is a delightful thing to be remembered by others. After all, most of us are ordinary people, not as famous as Einstein or Newton. For these elderly who have lost their memories, looking for memories is equivalent to looking for the best traces of their lives.

Time has established the length of life, making memories scoped and meaningful. memories are just like a projector, projected into space, thus making the space valuable. I hope that the elderly can live more comfortably in such a space, and I hope they can quickly find the best memories they have ever had. I hope that the elderly can live more comfortably in such a space. Be able to find the best memories they have ever had in their life.

Project description

This project is a nursing home designed for "Vineyard" company located in Savannah, GA. It is mainly aimed at the elderly who need special care, especially those who have Alzheimer's. The staff of the nursing home is committed to providing a comfortable environment and sufficient medical conditions. They hoped that every elderly who comes here could maintain an optimistic and positive attitude. They also hoped their state of illness could be alleviated.

The "vineyard" is not represent the wine, but the vine from which it grows; the older the vine, the better the wine.

This design is based on the silhouette and sense of alienation brought by light and shadow at different times, create the traces of the passage of time with different elements and textures closest to nature. using soothing and clean colors, streamlined ceiling structures, and similar arcs on the walls, trying to reduce the physical and emotional stimulation of the elderly, create a suitable and familiar life for these elderly, encouraging them to memorize the best and most valuable memories in their life.

Through the background investigation, I found some interesting conclusions and created two different users through the conclusions, one is the 73-year-old memory care user Julie Lynch, and the other is the assisted living user Andrew Campbell. Their characteristics and personalities are in line with the results of my research.

In terms of site analysis, through field inspections, we have a better understanding of traffic flow lines, sunshine, the overall spatial structure, further ideas on space, etc.

In the concept part, because my keyword is "traces," I also want to give the elderly some experience of finding their own tracks in space. Therefore, my conceptual model is also a twisted and irregular shape, which will appear in different shapes and shadows in a different light. In my diagram, I also designed several different spatial forms and integrated them into my space design. To enhance the overall concept of the design, I made some designs with different heights in RCP to make the overall ceiling and space appear more layered.

In order to allow the elderly to recognize different spaces more effectively, some different light patterns are also designed on the wall, for example, the wall of the dining area has been decorated with some fruits and vegetables, and the books and portrait have been decorated on the reading area’s wall. Indicating the space by visual stimulate, Let the elderly remember the function and purpose of the space through graphics.

When elderly come in from the lobby, they will first see a large spiral staircase and reception area, then on the left is a reading area with good sunlight, they can go there for relaxing, reading, or communicating, and then when they go inside they will see the dining area. The more private area, for example, the hair salon and their accommodation area are located in the northeast of the whole building. These places have good light but not too hot or too cold， And elderly can see tall green plants from the window, they can also see the small garden when they go out from the balcony, which allows the elderly to get close to nature.

Technical information

The materials that I used are from wood and concrete, painted with goose yellow, creating a warm and cozy atmosphere.