It’s Cool to Get Old | 2nd Prize Robert-Oxman Award 2025

The process of aging is a fundamental human experience that deeply impacts social structures, cultural values, and the built environment.

This thesis examines the intricate relationship between aging, society, and architecture, focusing on how design can both influence and reflect societal attitudes toward growing old. By analyzing the aging process across various dimensions—such as materials, assistive objects, housing typologies, and cultural practices—this research aims to reveal the reciprocal connections between design and perceptions of aging.

Architecture and objects engage in a continuous dialogue with societal views on aging, mutually shaping and reinforcing one another. Thoughtful design has the potential to challenge stereotypes, dismantle stigmas, and create spaces that honor aging as a natural and valuable stage of life.

Research: Initial Study

The research consists of three interconnected layers—material, object, and typology—that explore aging and age-appropriate architecture. These layers establish the foundation for studying the cultural dimensions of aging, aiming to understand how architecture and culture intersect in shaping the aging experience, which will later inform the analysis of the research hypothesis and question.

Research: Literature Review

In Germany, 21% of the population is aged 65 or older, making it the second most aging nation in Europe. By 2050, this will rise to 38% aged 60+, with those 80+ increasing from 6–8% to 13% (Federal Statistical Office, 2016). As this shift accelerates, the care infrastructure—including pension systems and senior housing—continues to expand. This study examines elderly living conditions and facilities through the lens of social integration.

Findings

Limited Opportunities for Social Engagement in Care Facilities
Higher Levels of Anomie in Care Facilities
Impact on Autonomy and Independence
Preference for Household Living Tied to Social Well-Being
Care Facilities as Reactive Rather Than Proactive EnvironmentsGenerational Gap in Care Facilities
Generational Gap in Care Facilities

Research: Spatial Analysis

Germany has the second-highest proportion of elderly people in the EU, with 21% aged 65 or older (Federal Statistical Office, 2016). Saxony-Anhalt leads among German states with 25%, while Dessau-Roßlau stands out with 32.5%, reflecting its aging demographic.

Consequently, Dessau-Roßlau hosts a dense network of elderly care facilities—ranging from day care and assisted living to dementia care—offering key insights into care practices and facility design.

This chapter analyzes these facilities on macro, meso, and micro scales, focusing on their role in fostering social integration and understanding the architectural and operational characteristics of conventional elderly care in Germany.

Findings

Macro Analysis: Most care facilities lie within a 15-minute walk from the city center, ensuring good accessibility. Outlying facilities are well-connected by public transport, benefiting the general population but less so the elderly with limited mobility.
Meso Analysis: Centrally located facilities enjoy proximity to amenities but often lack public open spaces for community interaction. Peripheral facilities, meanwhile, lack communal infrastructure and activities, restricting social integration. While younger people can overcome this through transport access, elderly residents struggle to maintain social connections.
Micro Analysis: At the micro scale, most facilities lack physical and social integration with their surroundings. Green spaces are underused and isolated, often fenced and detached from the urban fabric. Architectural design typically limits visual and social interaction through small openings, minimal terraces, and physical barriers—hindering community engagement and integration.

Site

Site Selection Criteria

Proximity to Community Hubs: Sites should be within a 15-minute walk of markets, parks, and cultural spots, or well-connected by public transport if farther out.
Neighborhood Characteristics: Areas with mixed-age populations and open public spaces are ideal for intergenerational interaction and social cohesion.
Urban Integration: Favor sites that blend into the neighborhood, especially those with potential for adaptive reuse and minimal isolation.
Potential for Social Regeneration: Prioritize areas needing revitalization, where the facility can drive community and economic renewal.

The proposed site, located in the Neukölln district of Berlin, has been selected based on several factors that align with the site criteria. The site is part of the former Kindl Brewery complex and was historically used as a warehouse during the factory's operation. While other parts of the brewery have been repurposed for residential and office use, the warehouse remains largely underutilized, with only 25% of its floor area currently serving temporary purposes.