Preferences of Physical Design Features for Intergenerational Environments

Meaningful engagement between generations is considered an essential aspect of quality life in relation to learning and development throughout one’s life span. Extensive research indicates a substantial mediating role that physical environment can play in developmental function for young children (Evans, 2006) and therapeutic function for older adults with dementia (Marquardt, Bueter, & Motzek, 2014). Many empirical studies reported that social abilities of both young children and older adults with dementia were supported in environments with low social density, small group size, moderate levels of sound, and non-institutional ambience. In addition to these design attributes, another salient attribute, spatial enclosure, as an environmental factor may influence meaningful engagement between young children and older adults with dementia. Despite the growing knowledge in spatial enclosure, these empirical studies have been conducted extensively on young children and young adults; however little attention has been paid to older adults with dementia. While the results of studies on a single population are not necessarily of lesser relevance or value to other population, application of the results without credible evidence may adversely result in undesirable outcomes such as lowered satisfaction, maladaptive behaviors, or stress. Furthermore, its effect on interpersonal behavior appears to be currently indeterminant with inconsistent results especially on young children (See Cerruti & Shepley, 2016 and Stamps, 2009 for the literature on this topic). Inadequacy in understanding how people from different ages perceive and react to physical environment may fail to achieve a desirable outcome of meaningful engagement as a developmental and therapeutic potential for promoting health and well-being. This study focused on an unexplored yet important aspect of social outcomes – use of social spaces (i.e., activity, intermediary, and miscellaneous) in relation to the amount of spatial enclosure. In particular, the main research questions were: 1) What happens on use of social spaces when physical boundary permits lesser visual and locomotive permeability during intergenerational activities? ; 2) How do young children and older adults with dementia feel about interaction with the different degree of spatial enclosure? ; and 3) What environmental factors or physical properties tend to foster or inhibit use of social spaces and meaningful engagements with people from different ages? To answer these questions, this exploratory study used a quasiexperiment to measure the actual spatial usage in relations to the different degrees of spatial enclosure as well as semi-structured interviews, aided by a photographic simulation, to identify ideal physical design features preferred by young children and older adults with dementia. Findings showed that the semi-enclosed spatial plan had an influence on the children’s spatial usage but not the older adults with dementia who tended to confine themselves to the activity area assigned for seating regardless of types of the spatial plans. This study suggests that compared to enclosed spaces, open spaces with moderate degree of visual and locomotive permeability offers desirable outcomes such as spaciousness, control, security, and accessibility which would enhance the potential for meaningful engagement.