Feel Excluded Even When Her Son Move in
CONTEXT & RESEARCH
Identify Subcultures
Conceptual Question
Thesis Statement
Subculture Challenges
Ｍutual Need
Dialogue & Focus
PRECEDANT & FRAMEWORK
Case Studies: Precedents of Intergenerational Living
Design Proposal: Reciprocal Support Framework
Site Context
Route to the Roots
Design Strategy
DESIGN
How Intergenerational Living Bridges the Gap
Program
Floorplan
Exploded Axonometric
Section
Renderings
CONTEXT & RESEARCH
Newcomers—workers, students, travelers— struggle to secure affordable housing
Subcultures
Rising living costs and a shortage of affordable housing leave many young adults struggling with housing insecurity, often forcing them into unstable or transient living arrangements.
At the same time, an aging population faces loneliness, limited mobility, and a growing need for accessible, community-oriented environments when living alone.
Older Adults Living Alone
Conceptual Question
This is not just a solution, but a conversation: How can two vulnerable yet resilient groups—isolated elders and young adults — offer each other what society fails to provide: stability, presence, and purpose?
This is not just a solution, but a conversation: How can two vulnerable yet resilient groups—isolated elders and young adults — offer each other what society fails to provide: stability, presence, and purpose?
This capstone explores how spatial design can foster reciprocal intergenerational living between isolated older adults and young adults facing housing insecurity. Rooted in the symbolic idea of “fallen leaves returning to their roots,” the project imagines a co-living environment where shared routines and layered communal programs invite residents to reconnect with one another, with themselves, and with a slower, more meaningful ythm of life. The design promotes emotional companionship, practical care, and a sense of mutual purpose ross generations by minimizing private space and maximizing participation in everyday communal activities.
Thesis Statement
Emotional Isolation and Mental Health Decline
Approximately 20–30% of older adults in the UK report long-term loneliness
→ depression, anxiety, and emotional neglect.
The National Institute on Aging (2023) found that loneliness can increase the risk of dementia by 50%, heart disease by 29%, and stroke by 32%, making social isolation as dangerous as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
Physical Vulnerability and Safety Risks
Loss of Purpose and Self-Worth
Challenges Faced by Older Adults Living Alone
ColumbiaDoctors notes that aging adults who live alone frequently suffer from reduced mobility and frailty, increasing the risk of domestic accidents.
A 2020 study by Das Gupta et al. showed a clear association between living alone, depressive symptoms, and higher rates of physical injury such as falls.
-> This creates a cycle where fear of injury discourages daily activity, leading to physical deterioration and even greater isolation.
Fingerman et al. (2020) found that unmet expectations of reciprocity in relationships often lead to emotional distress and a weakened sense of personal value.
Social Exchange Theory (Wan & Antonucci, 2016) explains that older adults thrive emotionally when engaged in mutual, reciprocal relationships where they both give and receive support.
Rental prices in New York City rose by 52% between 2011 and 2022 (New York Post, 2025), placing basic housing out of reach for many young people.
CUNY’s Dreaming of Home report reveals that nearly half of NYC residents spend over 50% of their income on rent—well above the affordability threshold.
Moore et al. (2023) found that even in densely populated urban areas, young adults often feel socially disconnected due to economic inequality and fragmented communities.
Youth interviewed in Dreaming of Home described feeling deep stress and emotional fatigue simply trying to find “a clean, safe space” to call home.
young people mentally divide the city into spaces of “connection” vs. “isolation,” emphasizing the emotional fragmentation of urban life.
Unstable and Overcrowded Living Conditions
Housing Insecurity and Emotional Stress in Young Adults
Emotional Distress and Mental Health Strain
Lack of Community and Belonging
PRECEDANT & FRAMEWORK
Case Study: Humanitas, Netherlands
Model: Intergenerational Housing through Structured Companionship
Key Features:
Free student housing in exchange for 20 hours/week of time spent with seniors
Non-caregiving, equal-status relationship
Shared social activities: meals, movie nights, birthdays
Design Takeaway:
→ Formalized but flexible social contracts build lasting emotional bonds without creating dependency.
“It’s like having family again.” — Elder resident
“We talk, we play, we just exist together.” Student resident
Case Studies: Precedents of Intergenerational Living
Spring 2025
Interior Design Studio 6
Case Study: Alicante, Spain
Model: Community-Based Housing with Intergenerational Pairing
Key Features:
Ratio: 1 young adult to every 4 elders
5 structured engagement programs:
→ gardening/technology/culture/cooking/storytelling
→ Architecture reinforces connection: shared courtyards and activity zones
Design Takeaway
→ Architecture and programming must work together to turn cohabitation into meaningful coexistence.
Elders report feeling “useful again,” and youth say “we’re learning more than we give.”
Case Studies: Precedents of Intergenerational Living
1. 15 hours per week of companionship
2. Engaging in interactions and activities
3. Assisting with daily routines and health conditions
1. Affordable or free living space in exchange for their time and companionship
2. Mentorship and guidance through shared life experiences, career advice, and informal wisdom
Design Proposal: Reciprocal Support Framework
55 Pearl St, Brooklyn NY 11201
Originally, 55 Pearl Street was the site of a one-story warehouse, reflecting DUMBO’s industrial heritage.
In 2013, Alloy Development acquired the property and chose to replace the warehouse with five contemporary townhouses, opting for a design that complemented the surrounding historic architecture. The new development, completed in 2015, features a distinctive façade made of ultra-high-performance concrete panels, paying homage to the area’s industrial past.
Site Context
Today, 55 Pearl Street comprises five luxury townhouses, each approximately 3,000 square feet, with four bedrooms and three bathrooms. The homes boast 20-foot parlor ceilings, private garages, terraces, and energy-efficient systems.
Total Area: 16,000 square foot
Population: Approximately 2,712 residents.
Median Household Income: Around $250,001, significantly higher than the NYC average.
Median Age: Approximately 25-44 years old, indicating a relatively young, professional demographic.
Black
A. Healthcare Facilities
B. Academic Institutions
C. Arts & Cultural Venues
D. Public Open Spaces & Parks
E. Religious & Spiritual Institutions
F. Senior Housing & Community Support
G. Vinegar Hill (Age- Friendly Neighborhood)
Temporal Belonging
Route to the Roots
Falling leaves returning to roots
Continuity
to the Roots | Design Strategy
DESIGN
“Play, connect, and grow through shared stories, games, and learning.”
How Intergenerational Living Bridges the Gap
“Play, connect, and grow through shared stories, games, and learning.”
Interplay Zone
Storytelling Lounge
Learning Nook
5.Mail Box
6.Stretch Room
7.Chess/ Board Game
8.Health Center
9.Restroom
2025 Interior Design Studio 6
2
1.Story Gallery/ Workshop
2.Story Sharing/ Wisdom
3.Learning Center
4.Rampway to Level 3
5.Urban Farming Balcony
3
Design Studio 6
1.Shared Kitchen
2.Dining Area
3.Learning Center
4.Rampway to Level 2
5.Restroom
1.Living Quarter
2.Laundry Room
3.Shared Shower
Exploded Axonometric
Exploded Axonometric
Exterior
Design Studio 6
Arentshorst, Marlous Elisabeth, Roy Reinier Kloet, and Alexander Peine.
“Intergenerational Housing: The Case of Humanitas Netherlands” Journal of Housing for the Elderly 33, no 3 (2019): 244–256
Bui, Cindy N., Kyungmin Kim, and Karen L. Fingerman.
“Support Now to Care Later: Intergenerational Support Exchanges and Older Parents’ Care Receipt and Expectations.” The Journals of Gerontology Series B 77, no. 7 (2022): 1315–1324. ColumbiaDoctors
“Living Alone Can Be Hazardous to Senior Health.” Accessed March 18, 2025. https://www.columbiadoctors.org/news/living-alone-can-be-hazardous-senior-health.
Das Gupta, Debasree, Uma Kelekar, and Dominique Rice.
“Associations between Living Alone, Depression, and Falls among Community-Dwelling Older Adults in the US” Preventive Medicine Reports 20 (2020): 101273
“Dreaming of Home: Youth Researchers of Color Address NYC’s Housing Crisis.” City University of New York (CUNY), 2021. https://academicworks.cuny.edu/nc pubs/120.
The Rise of the Creative Class, Revisited New York: Basic Books, 2012
“New Report Blames Cuomo for NYC’s Housing Crisis.” New York Post, April 5, 2025. https://nypost.com/2025/04/05/us-news/new-report-blames-cuomo-for-nycs-housing-crisis/.
“Wellbeing in the City: Young Adults’ Sense of Loneliness and Social Connection in Deprived Urban Neighbourhoods.” Wellbeing, Space and Society 5 (2023): 100172.
“Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older People Pose Health Risks” Last modified February 23, 2023 https://www nia nih gov/news/social-isolation-loneliness-older-people-pose-health-risks
“Typologies of Loneliness, Living Alone and Social Isolation, and Their Associations with Physical and Mental Health.” Ageing & Society 39, no. 8 (2019): 1709–1730.
“Social Exchange Theory and Aging” In Encyclopedia of Geropsychology, edited by Nancy A Pachana Springer, 2016
“Municipal Project for Intergenerational Housing and Community Services in Alicante.” Accessed March 18, 2025. https://world-habitat.org.