Faculty of Design

Environmental Design - Interior Design Specialization

Vera Li

Thesis - Deer Lake Nursing Home

Currently, the world is experiencing a demographic shift as the aging population increases drastically. The old-age to working-age ratio will change, as the working population will decrease by 10% within the next 40 years. This will lead to an increased demand of nursing homes and assisted housing facilities. Through this pandemic, we can also see that the qualities of nursing home must be improved for the foreseeable future.For my thesis project, I chose to combine both Universal Design principle and Taoist philosophy to design a healthcare nursing home that will convey full inclusion and harmony between the community and its surrounding environment. The proposed site is located at the heritage site of Hart House, Deer Lake, in the city of Burnaby. Thus, heritage building restoration is another focus of this project.

“Utilizing both Universal Design and Taoist philosophical approach, architecture is meant to convey meaning, full inclusion and harmony between nature, individuals and community.”