Part to Whole, After the Nuclear Family

In housing, the relationship between part to whole is fundamental, and not simply a matter of composition. This studio emphasizes the inclusion of housing for the elderly, a term that encompasses a broad demographic. Students design for residents at different points in their lifespan, either through the differentiation of units (parts) or the flexible adaptation of individual units over time. The integration of elderly residents can create opportunities for intergenerational interaction and new types of units that define multigenerational households. The ambition is not necessarily to solve pressing social questions or cultivate deep expertise on this topic, but rather to instigate the design of new “parts” of housing and relationships between those parts.