House of Flow
A residential design addressing the needs of an elderly couple with one member diagnosed with Alzheimer's, integrating functional solutions with personal backgrounds.
Project Details
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Specifications
Load-bearing brick with concrete panels
- Ramp system connecting all floors
- Open bedroom concept with privacy curtains
- Medical facility on second floor
- Specialized lighting to prevent sundowning
- Structural brick
- Concrete floors
- Steel support poles
- Hessian fabric curtains
- Orange-tinted double glazed glass
Introduction
My hypothetical clients are the elderly couple Aluna and Jacob and the home I have designed for them is on 37 Bulwer Street, Toronto Ontario. Aluna has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's and Jacob is her primary caretaker, along with their live in caretaker. In this project I make use of their backgrounds and interests to create a home for them that functionally addresses their physical and mental needs.
Concept Model Sketches
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Concept sketches for House of Flow
Initial concept sketches exploring the relationship between spaces.
About This Section
Before they were Aluna and Jacob, Aluna was a Kenyan girl born in Nairobi in 1958. She loved to design clothes as a kid and at age 18 she was in Toronto on a refugee permit working odd jobs and developing her craft. She later met her husband Jacob, and they got married at age 23. Aluna is a boisterous and nurturing person who loves people, animals, and plants. Jacob, also born in 1958, is a more introverted and structured person. Through his love of books, he went to a top university in Toronto to study research and later went on to become a professor. He retired at age 50 and does what he loves, being a librarian. The couple never had children and poured all their love into each other and their adventures.
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Conclusion
House of Flow represents a deeply personalized approach to inclusive design. Rather than focusing solely on Aluna's medical condition, this project embraces the couple's full identities, interests, and life stories. The result is a home that not only accommodates changing physical needs but also supports emotional wellbeing through thoughtful material choices, spatial relationships, and sensory considerations. This project demonstrates how architectural design can maintain dignity and quality of life when facing challenging health conditions.
