Chapter 4: Independence
Unit Layout Design
Neighborhood atmosphere is important in remaining one to be social active. However,
maintaining appropriate social boundaries is essential for a person to relax
and feel at ease. Space and privacy is important for a people to be alone as it
helps to avoid one from the psychological burden. Therefore, the idea of independence
unit to be built within the social co-housing is aimed to create and highlight
the private boundary to the users besides keeping the ease of socialization with people around.
This idea is inspired from the
development of traditional Chinese courtyard house, Siheyuan. It was designed
occasionally for the extended family system, typically with three generations. Houses
in Siheyuan are independent for the each family group, bringing the means of
privacy and freedom. It is built within an enclosed compound with the
inward-facing houses at four sides.
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| Figure 26 shows the spatial planning of the traditional Chinese courtyard house, Siheyuan. |
Chinese courtyard house works best
with the multi-generational housing idea as privacy and freedom is being
highlighted besides the family togetherness. According to the recent survey, 63
percent of the respondents would find out that privacy and freedom is quite
important within the living area. Meanwhile, 58 percent of survey respondents
from the same age group would also like to emphasize on the separate and shared
space within their living boundaries.
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| Chart 21 shows the rate of importance of privacy and personal boundaries in multi-generational living. |
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| Chart 22 shows the rate of importance of separate and shared space in multi-generational living. |
4.1
A Choice of House Models
With
the decreasing of the average household sizes, housing nowadays were being
standardized with same layouts (refer to Figure 3 and 4) to save the cost and
space. However, it was unable to accommodate the variety of household
requirement in the community today. Therefore, multi-generational living is
being proposed with the idea of designing a core plan with several possibilities
of additions or subtractions. The design method of additions and subtractions
can be made initially during the construction of the house or in the future
where changes happen. This will definitely cut down both the initial construction or
the modification cost and yet helps to save the selling price of the
independence housing unit.
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| Figure 27 shows the basic core plan design comes with the potential additions to be done either during the initial construction period or in the future. |
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| Figure 28 shows the basic core plan design with the choices of expansion to be done in all four sides. |
In order to accommodate the basic
household requirement which consists of two to three generations, core plan
design is inspired from the townhouses design. Townhouse design in Malaysia
such as N’DIRA Residence in Puchong South, Selangor ranges from single storey
up to three storeys. Different units is usually to be located within the structure
and separate entrance is designed for both units to avoid from the disturbance
to the other family group. Residents from the upper unit can get access to
their home via a side building staircase.
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| Figure 29 shows the townhouse design in N'DIRA Residences in Puchong South. |
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| Figure 30 shows the townhouse design with the separate entrance for both lower and upper unit. |
[VOLUME INTERACTION - MEZZANINE FLOOR, ENLARGED THE STAIRCASE AREA]
This idea works best with the
multi-generational living where the lower unit is ideal for the elder generation
as it provides wider space and yet it is barrier-free with the provision of
wheelchair ramp to promote disable-friendly environment. Meanwhile, the upper
unit will be lived by the younger generations as it is a smaller studio unit.
This will be ideal for the younger generations especially teenagers
who wanted to live alone independently and staying away from the treatment of
parents who always look at you as a child. With the separate unit, the
youngsters get their freedom and privacy while at the same time the parents are
able to monitor their child as they are living near to the parents. Family
bonding still can be strengthen through the gathering of dinner every evening
or the family day being held every Sunday at the common house area.
4.2
Universal Design for the Lower Living Unit for the Elders
***[RAMP as SOCIAL PART]***
As mentioned in the earlier chapter,
elders faced lots of challenges physically and socially. It is found that 53
percent of the survey respondents rated that the disability features is quite
and critically important in the housing.
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| Chart 23 shows the importance of disability features in housing aspects. |
In
order to cope with the physical and social needs of the elders, multi-generational
living which encourage the living of elders in the lower unit enabling them to
easily access to their house. Enjoying the ability and freedom to move around
can be one of the psychological treatment for the elders to live independently
and happily. Moreover, basement parking will also be provided with space for 2
cars for each independence unit. This makes the groceries carting easier as
well as avoiding the vehicle noise. Ground floor level which free of cars is
safer for elders to move around the compound as well as the child to play
around the front yard.
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| Figure 31 shows the provision of basement parking in townhouse design. |
Besides, automatically open door which
is light to touch could be also installed to cope with the elders who may
facing difficulties in stability and flexibility. With the automatic door comes
with the sensors, elders can be more focus to stable themselves in moving on
their path.
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| Figure 32 shows the automatic sliding door suits best with the elders' living. |
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| Figure 33 shows the contactless hand sensor to be an application in senior living to promote security in the living unit. |
Apart from that, easy reachable shelves and storage also essential
to be installed especially the kitchen area to help them to grab things in
shorter time and more importantly, prevent them from falling.
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| Figure 34 shows the example of the shelves and storage design ideal for the seniors. |
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| Figure 35 shows the universal design of a washroom. |
On the other hand, elders also faced
challenges with the hearing-related difficulties. Prevention need to be done
with the acoustics control as well as the installation of latest advanced hearing
aid technology. This may assist the elders in hearing as well as protecting them
from the unnecessary noise. Installation of double-panel windows can be one of
the suggestion to muffle extraneous sound whilst limiting the background noise.
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| Figure 36 shows the installation of double-panel windows in helping to limit the background noise within the living unit. |
In order to tackle with the
decreasing of eyes’ performance, vivid contrasting colours can be used to compensate
for poorer vision of the elders. Harmony environment need to be achieved as well
with the usage of colours in providing a comfort and heart-warming zone for the
residents.
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| Figure 37 shows the harmony environment created with the vivid contrasting colours. |
Smoke detectors and fire alarms might be another additional
application in the house in helping the elders to get rid of the emergency
happened. With the universal design to promote the age-integrated society,
elder generation is able to live independently and happily with the friends and
family surrounding them.
4.3
Studio Unit for the Younger Generation
In the multi-generational living,
the upper unit is designed like a studio unit. It fits well with the youngsters’
requirement who need more freedom and privacy. It is proposed that the upper
unit to be served with only one to two bedrooms comes with the co-working
space, a small kitchen and a separate bathrooms. Hence, it is assumed that the
unit can fit with one to two resident either young couples or teenagers
siblings.
******[DUAL-KEY CONCEPT]
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| Figure 38 shows the example of one-bedroom studio apartment design |
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| Figure 39 shows the example of two-bedrooms studio apartment design. |
Moreover, to maximise the usage of
space, sleeping and storage lofts can be extensive used as study room for the
teenagers or make use of it to be a home office to meet up with the need of
working from home meanwhile separating the stressful working environment from
the homely environment.
In order to enhance the ventilation
and exposure of natural light, private decks can be extended from the upper
unit over the street to provide the housing unit with a sunny, outdoor area.
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| Figure 40 shows the extended of private decks from the upper unit to enjoy sunny and outdoor area. |
4.4
Accommodating Future Changes
People’s
lives are commonly changeable, with the happenings such as birth of a child,
children leaving home, divorce or the death of spouse. All of these happenings
will affect the household’s spatial requirements. Therefore, in order to remain
the resident stability within the neighbourhood, flexible architecture might be
the best way to accommodating the future changes.
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| Chart 24 shows the rate of importance of the flexibility of accommodate new circumstances in multi-generational living. |
Flexibility in architecture
provide chance to the users in adding expansion unit to accommodate the more
household or subdividing it into two smaller units.
Besides, flexibility can also been
facilitated in the method of construction. The modular post and beam
construction can be implemented as it allowed the removal of wall partitions
and the addition of rooms without compromising the structure.
With the consideration of larger
housing unit might be achieved throughout the years, independence unit can connected
via covered pathways. It can be used to link the unit in related such as the
participant’s unit (participant and parents) with the younger sister’s unit.
This will thus balance the family togetherness as well as the privacy
boundaries for each family group.
In smaller houses, the core plan design would
also allow the residents especially the elders to rent out a room to a student
or other adults. They can use such rental space to support their spatial
income.
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