Japan, one of the places known for its high longevity, is critically facing a demographic shift. As the aging population continues to grow, so too does the demand for thoughtful, well-designed spaces that support elderly care. Traditionally, caregiving was woven into the fabric of family life, often falling on the shoulders of female members in a patriarchal society. However, as a traditional big family structure largely dissolves and the nuclear family becomes the norm, elder care increasingly relies on social welfare services and specialized facilities.
This situation presents a profound, growing architectural challenge: How can care environments not only accommodate medical and nursing needs but also foster individual dignity, comfort, and human and nonhuman interactions? The ideal design of elderly care facilities balances clinical functionality with the nuances of daily life—for the elderly themselves, for those experiencing challenges and difficulties such as dementia, for their families, and for the caregivers who support them.
Elderly care facilities generally fall into two categories: first, day-care centers, where seniors visit several times a week to engage in rehabilitation, social activities, and exercise. These spaces serve as vital community hubs, allowing older adults to maintain independence while receiving necessary support. The second is care homes, often called "group homes," where seniors live full-time, receiving round-the-clock care and assistance.
Thoughtful design can create a care facility space that enhances well-being and a sense of belonging. Three fundamental design principles stand out: the first is bringing nature indoors. For many residents, particularly those in group homes, architectural elements such as large windows, skylights, courtyards, and gardens become essential in connecting to nature. Natural light, changing seasons, and outdoor views provide sensory stimulation and reduce stress.
Secondly, the design experiments on how to encourage social interaction. Communal spaces play a crucial role in supporting both mental and physical health. Well-designed gathering areas, such as care, library, and communal living room, encourage casual interactions, relaxation, and moments of joy among residents. These spaces are equally important for family members to visit casually. To maintain vital intergenerational bonds, some facilities function as community centers, integrating childcare and daycare for people with disabilities, and thus fostering organic interactions between the elderly and young children—an approach that brings vitality, warmth, and a sense of belonging into the environment.
Lastly, a well-designed care facility needs to be supportive not only for residents but also for visitors and staff. Care workers in elder care face physically and emotionally demanding work, and architecture should ease their burden through careful layouts, ergonomic considerations, and carefully chosen materials. The use of natural elements such as woods and bamboo can create a calming atmosphere, while thoughtful spatial planning ensures smooth movement and accessibility for all.
In response to these evolving needs, architects are redefining care environments. The following nine projects, set in diverse geographical contexts in Japan, showcase various approaches to elderly care, ranging from day-care centers and group homes to multi-functional facilities that seamlessly integrate elder care with community engagement and childcare services. Architecture shapes not only physical spaces but also the very experience of aging itself.
Long House with an Engawa Senior Daycare Center / Yamazaki Kentaro Design Workshop
Sakuragien – Aomori Elderly Nursing Home / waiwai
Sayanomoto Clinic / Yamazaki Kentaro Design Workshop
Toranoko Nursery / Takashige Yamashita Office
Komame Commons Community Center / Katsuhiro Miyamoto & Associates
Kaze No Machi Miyabira / C+A Coelacanth and Associates + Met Architects
Elderly House in Rikuzentakata city "Hokkori-ya" / The University of Tokyo Architectural Planning & Design Lab + DOG
Rest Villa Funabori / Jun'ichi Ito Architect & Associates
Group Home in Noboribetsu / Sou Fujimoto Architects
This article is part of the ArchDaily Topics: Building Wellbeing: Designing Spaces for Healing, presented in collaboration with the Hushoffice. With its line of A-class pods Hushoffice helps create acoustically balanced workplaces that offer great environment for collaboration and focus, foster employee wellbeing, and accommodate the needs of neurodiverse staff, as well as employees with motor impairments.
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