Abstract

With current housing models struggling to meet the needs of a changing population now and for the future, students of the School of Architecture and Design, School of Health and Social Care and School of Business, University of Lincoln were challenged with understanding those needs and translating them into innovative design ideas for Extra Care Housing in Lincolnshire. The challenge was made in the form of a competition in 2016 that transferred evidence and knowledge to design principles in response to local needs and challenges.
The students identified needs for the wellbeing of older people in Lincolnshire, which endorsed the emerging evidence for the necessity of opportunities for wellbeing in rural ageing and the evidence for challenges and opportunities in rural ageing. These challenges are: mobility to provide access to facilities; opportunity to be with friends and family; affordable health and care; range of choice to downsize in their community; adaptability to changing physical and cognitive ability; active ageing and healthy lifestyles; opportunity to participate socially and economically; opportunity for care in the community to promote wellbeing; and the need to integrate housing with the delivery of health.
The students translated the needs to design principles for the built environment appropriate for ageing in place in rural Lincolnshire. They presented the ideas as five Design Guides at a final workshop. This document is a development of the ideas from the five groups on how we should shape our built environment for an ageing population to advance local strategies. The document showcases the vision that young minds have produced and we believe this will help to stimulate thinking and dialogue to create pathways for localised solutions.