AGING AND THE MEANING OF HOME

A balding, light-skinned man wearing a suit sits in a red chair in a frosty green room. The wall behind him is titled “Aging & the Meaning of Home” followed by more text, graphics, and charts. Another text panel begins “Senior-Friendly Furniture.”

About the installation

HORD COPLAN MACHT
ESTABLISHED 1977, BALTIMORE, MARYLAND

Hord Coplan Macht (HCM) specializes in the design of senior living residences. Aging and The Meaning of Home recreates a supportive living environment through the voices of two fictional residents who have different needs as they age. This immersive space is an interactive environment calibrated to support people with physical and mild cognitive impairments. The HCM team consulted with professionals specializing in aging, dementia, and public health to create this model space situated around a common area where residents can relax in natural lighting with close access to landscaped outdoor space. The room is equipped with opportunities for sensory engagement and choices about social activities for residents. The furnishings and lighting show how design can positively impact our comfort levels and enhance our abilities in the spaces we call home as we grow older.

 

ACCESSIBILITY RESOURCES

This gallery has two main elements. The first can be experienced physically, and the second can be accessed through a screen reader compatible PDF. 

Here, with us in the physical space, is an interior specifically designed with the needs of older adults in mind. Entering from the label where you scanned the QR code, we are met with communal space furnished with a touch table surrounded by comfortable seating. Everything in this room is touchable, so please feel free to have a seat! The furniture is versatile. The table features an interactive game that residents can play together or engage with alone. The colors of the furniture, walls, and flooring are neutral and muted. Just past the table, continuing to our right, is a seating area, or lounge setup, furnished with three high back red chairs and grounded by a built-in fireplace flanked by two bookshelves. A realistic hologram of a fire is displayed in the fireplace. The two rooms are connected without physical barriers. The back wall connecting the two rooms has been outfitted with mock windows framing a life-sized photograph of landscaped outdoor space. The scene is strikingly pleasant as folks sit at tables shaded with cerulean blue umbrellas surrounded by wildflowers. The photograph is illuminated and glows vibrantly. On the opposite wall are two doors, hinting at resident apartments beyond. Outside the doors are vertical wooden memory boxes with glass panels. In the memory box at the left are a magazine, a framed black-and-white photograph of fraternity members, a watch with a leather wristband, and three vintage political buttons. In the memory box at right are an U.S. flag and various military pins and honors.  

Printed on the wall are infographics about two fictional seniors who might reside in the space.

Acknowledgements

Architecture and Interior Design by Cynthia Shonaiya, Duncan Walker, Jerielle Ward, Rhonda Wyskiel, Angela Schmitz, and Rebecca Carle. Furniture by Kwalu. Floor Covering by Mannington. Circadian Lighting by Lighting Environments, QTL Lighting, Philips Dynalite. Backlit Window Panels by Omnify Lighting. Tovertafel (Motion-Sensored Game System) and Idem Smart Clock by Eugeria. Memory Boxes by RussFab. Wallcovering by Inpro. Fireplace by Net Zero Fire. Persona Consultation by Dr. Monte Harris & Lieutenant Colonel Iva M Grahek, US Army, Retired.