Design

The design of houses and their environment is critical to meeting the needs of older people. The resources listed below provide an introduction to the technical aspects of both new build and remodeling of existing buildings.

Planning for older people's housing usually includes extra care housing. You can find more about strategies for extra care housing in the Housing - Extra Care pages and a range of comprehensive resources on planning and designing housing for an ageing population in our Design Hub.

Using design to innovate more effectively in the healthy ageing sector

This report describes the key insights from a programme of activity rolled out to increase the understanding of design amongst solution providers in the healthy ageing market.

Safe, Happy and Together: Design ideas for minimising the spread of infection whilst nurturing social interaction in later living communities

This report by PRP Architects outlines a series of practical design recommendations to control the transmission of coronavirus, and other every day infections, in later-living housing whilst maintaining social interaction for residents. It identifies thirteen specific areas that would require improvements in order to safeguard the mental and physical health of residents, and to enable staff to manage additional tasks that might be required of them during a pandemic.

A Public Vision for the Home of 2030

This report by the Design Council on behalf of Homes of 2030 provides the results of a wide-reaching public engagement exercise designed to understand and provide new insight into what people need from their homes. In setting out a vision and principles for successful homes of the future, it focusses on 20 key principles based on the findings from local workshops and polling among a nationally representative sample of adults in England, and also reports on older adults expectations of their future home.

Design and Cost Considerations in Extra Care Housing

Written by Pozzoni Architecture and additional information supplied by RLB and CPC cost consultants, this new report, co-produced with the Housing LIN, aims to demonstrate that with careful consideration and the right tools, including useful new cost modelling, Extra Care will remain a viable and sustainable housing with care choice for residents, commissioners and funders, operators and developers.

Just Living

ColladoCollins has gathered research and insights from older people and leaders in the sector to create Just Living, a narrative around the choices and considerations at stake when designing and developing homes for our future selves.

The Innovative Path to Wellbeing

In this blog, Sonia Parol says that designers should encourage senior-living residents’ wellbeing by providing a range of opportunities to continuously take part in active life in an integrated, wider community setting.

Fresh approaches to older people’s housing: Insights from overseas

This blog piece is written by Matt Lally, Associate Director at Arup who draws inspiration and insights from case studies of older people's housing from around the world.

At Home

This briefing, part of ILC-UK and Age UK's 'Community Matters' series, examines how people ageing in the community can be supported through good design, planning and adaptation of their homes to support...

Future perfect, designer labels for an ageing society

This Housing LIN Viewpoint no 53 is the latest in a selection of resources that consider in detail the built environment and the physical design criteria that can meet the housing needs and lifestyle...

Independent Living with Care: Giving greater choice as you like it

This Housing LIN Case Study no 74 showcases the Independent Living Scheme with care for people over 55 years at Briar Court, Stratford-upon-Avon. It highlights both the design aspects that make the scheme...

The Dreams and Needs of Housing for the Elderly - Findings from a user study on two sheltered housing schemes in Finland

This Housing LIN case study No 64, for the Housing LIN, looks at the use of semi-private communal areas in two sheltered housing schemes in the environs of Helsinki. Evidence on the use of communal areas...

Inclusive Design for Getting Outdoors - research findings

This research findings from Inclusive Design for Getting Outdoors (I'DGO) looks into how the design of gardens, streets, neighbourhoods and open spaces can make a difference to older people's wellbeing...

Non-mainstream housing design guidance

This provides an overview and summary of existing published design guides and covers housing for a wide range of specific needs. The Homes and Communities Agency commissioned Levitt Bernstein and PRP...

A Progressive Approach to Accessible Housing

This new Housing LIN Viewpoint no 22 is by a co-author of the influential HAPPI report. Written by Julia Park, Levitt Bernstein Architects, she proposes a way of accommodating accessible housing within...

Putting Inclusive Design into Practice

Housing LIN Viewpoint no 14 is a case study detailing how Pennine Housing 2000 ensured that the interior design of a new extra care scheme was functional but without compromising style or increasing...

Homes for our old age - Independent living by design

This Housing LIN Report was published jointly with CABE. It contains ten case studies; nine on extra care and one on adapted general needs housing. It describes main design features, draws out lessons...

Guidelines for the planning of housing for senior citizens

A good practice guide in 6 parts that provides detailed technical guidance about all aspects of design to meet the needs of older people. It covers the planning and construction of new homes and the...