HOME AWAY FROM HOME: framing nostalgia for home, targeting the elderly homeless population to instill in them a sense of belonging.

Abstract

Architecture is not only just a thing to "see" but also a thing to be "felt". It is much more than just the aesthetics of a space or formal beauty. The experiences one has when he or she is in a space and what those experiences cause should also be one of the design intentions. Every space induces a different experience, evokes certain emotion, and recalls a particular memory. Among other design objectives, an architect also tries to design spaces which hold a positive impact on the users' mind. For example, a four sided room with a window on one wall opens to a courtyard reminds one of the golden time they spent with their family decades ago. One yearns for the places in which he felt secure, comfortable and at home. The desirefor such homely spaces is natural in every human being but it is a little more in those who are deprived of these spaces and long to return back to that time. These are the people who are homeless and are in search of a place that instills in them a sense of belonging and a feeling of ownership. Old aged people realize the importance of these places more as they experience major part of their lives spent there. Designing a facility that makes the elderly homeless people of our society, relive the moments which they spent with their families and providing them a space which frames nostalgic moments for them can help improve their mental health. It can also inculcate in them a sense - of security, social acceptability and a feeling of belonging. When they feel comfortable in a space, they can practice their lifelong skills and become a productive member of the society. This also helps in negating the fact that the elderly are mere passive recipients of care.