ARCHNEIS
MASSACHUSETTS NS7TIITE
NEW NORC CITY
OF ECHNOLOLGY
By Ulises Reyes
[iL3 2 5 2015
Bachelor of Arts in Architecture
Florida International University, 2010
LIBRARIES
Submitted to the Department of Architecture in partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Architecture at
the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
1
February 2015 \Ji*fle 20
@ 2015 Ulises Reyes. All rights reserved.
The author hereby grants to MIT permission to
reproduce and to distribute publicly paper and electronic
copies of this thesis document in whole or in part in any
medium now known or hereafter created.
Signature redacted
Signature of Author-_
So O'
Department of Architecture
January 15, 2015
Signature redacted
Certified By
--
____________
Anne Whiston Spirn
and Planning
Architecture
Professor of Landscape
Thesis Supervisor
Signature redacted
Accepted by
I
I
1Terry Knight
Profes r of Design and Computation
Chair of the Department Committee on Graduate Students
NEW NORC CITY
By Ulises Reyes
Bachelor of Arts in Architecture
Florida International University, 2010
Submitted to the Department of Architecture in partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Architecture at
the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
February 2015
Reyes. All rights reserved.
Ulises
@ 2015
The author hereby grants to MIT permission to
reproduce and to distribute publicly paper and electronic
copies of this thesis document in whole or in part in any
medium now known or hereafter created.
Thesis Supervisor:
Anne Whiston Spirn
Professor of Lanscape Architecture and Planning
Thesis Readers:
Andrew Scott
Professor of Architecture
Ryan C. C. Chin
Managing Director & Research Scientist, City Science Initiative, MIT Media Lab
NEW NORC CITY
By Ulises Reyes
Submitted to the Department of Architecture in partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Architecture at
the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
ABSTRACT
People in cities in select parts of the world are on the cusp of a paradigm never before
experienced by previous generations. The demographic-economic paradox tells us there is an
inverse correlation found between wealth and fertility within nations. In other words, the higher
the degree of education and GDP per capita of a human population, the fewer children born in
any industrialized country.
This phenomenon can be seen in Europe, where a decrease in fertility and mortality rates have
resulted in people of ages 65 and older to comprise at least 15% of the population in over half of
its countries with the potential of it rising to 35% in 2050.
The aging of Japan is thought to outweigh all other nations, as the country is purported to have
the highest proportion of elderly citizens, with almost one in four over the age of 65. Interesting
phenomena have resulted from this situation, such as the sales of adult diapers outpacing the
sales of infant diapers, and, as of 2005, its death rate outpacing its birth rate.
While many living options are available to elderly populations, many of them are becoming
financially out of reach for new generations of seniors. Popular in Europe, co-housing opens up
new alternatives for seniors to, to live as independently as possible, as long as possible. Cohousing sets seniors up for success and helps them achieve their full potential in the last 20-30
years of life. Co-housing living arrangements support individual's well-being physically, socially,
and emotionally, and offers aging adults a way to live among people with whom they share a
common bond of age and experience-an entirely new way to house themselves with dignity,
independence, safety, mutual concern, and fun.
Looking at various neighborhoods in Boston as potential zones of concentration of elderly
populations, this thesis aims to develop a new, scalable, co-housing typology that can be
applied to cities with similar challenges.
Thesis Supervisor: Anne Whiston Spirn
Title: Professor of Lanscape Architecture and Planning
p
t
Chapter 1: A New Paradigm
8
Chapter 2: A Look at Boston
42
Chapter 3: Proposal
54
Bibliography
85
7
NEW NORC CITY
8
A New Paradigm
A
New
Paradigm
9
NEW NORC CITY
People in cities in select parts of the world are on the cusp of a
paradigm never before experienced by previous generations.
The demographic-economic paradox tells us there is an
inverse correlation found between wealth and fertility within nations. In
other words, the higher the degree of education and GDP per capita
of a human population, the fewer children born in any industrialized
country. In a 1974 UN population conference in Bucharest,
Romania, Karan Singh, a former minister of population in India,
illustrated this trend by stating: "Development is the best contraceptive".
This phenomenon can be seen
in the continent of Europe, where a
decrease in fertility and mortality rates
have resulted in people of ages 65 and
older to comprise of at least 15% of the
population of over half of its countries with
the potential of it rising to 35% in 2050.
In 2006, the International Monetary Fund
(IMF) projected that the ratio of retirees
to workers in Europe will double from
four workers per retiree to two workers
per retiree by 2050. William H. Frey, an
analyst for the Brookings Institution think
tank, predicts that the median age in
Europe will increase from 37.7 years old
in 2003 to 52.3 years old by 2050 while
the median age of Americans will rise
to only 35.4 years old. In other words,
America has the potential to respond
more effectively to the aging demographic.
However, America's slower rise in median
age is due in part to their higher rate
of immigration. In 2009, among white
Americans, there has actually been a
population Decline.
between the ages of 55 to 65 work. If
the IMF's prediction for Europe's rising
The Organization for Economic
Co-operation and Development (OECD)
estimates only 39% of Europeans
and longer life expectancy. Despite these
median age is correct, Europe's economic
output could radically decrease over
the next four decades. Austria's Social
Affairs Minister said in 2006 that, by 2010,
the 55 to 64 year old age bracket in the
European Union would be larger than the
15 to 24 year old bracket. The Economic
Policy Committee and the European
Commission issued a report in 2006
estimating the working age population
in the EU will decrease by 48 million -a
16% reduction- between 2010 and 2050,
while the elderly population will increase
by 58 million, a gain of 77%. The U.S.
Census Bureau estimates the European
Union will experience a 14% decrease
in its workforce and a 7% decrease in its
consumer populations by 2030.
The IMF's High Council of
Finance's Study Committee on Aging
predicted in 2007 that Belgium's
population will increase by 5% by 2050
due to immigration, a higher fertility rate,
positive effects, the study indicates that
Belgium's elderly population will increase
10
A New Paradigm
8-
0
S
7Angola
0
60
i.
0
3'
C
4-o-
Saudi Arabia
0
Israel
3-
0 *
*
World
1*
22
0
00
*
*
. 0
0
5k
10k
15k
.0
0.
I
0
I
20k
25k
30k
GDP Per Capita (USD)
Chart outlining the economic-demographic paradox
11
USA
a3..
*
U-
0
I
I
I
I
35k
40k
45k
50k
NEW NORC CITY
Fig(. I
Percenli distribillion of U orld
populatiot age 6h or 60 er
(2006 (1,nd 2050)
2006
-
35
2050
30-
25
-
20
C
a,
U
a,
0~
!
-
15
-
10
-
5
I
I
Africa
v
I
Asia
I-I
Europe
Latin
America
Percentage of elderly (2006 and 2050)
12
I
North
America
Oceania
A New Paradigm
Fig. 2
Percent distribulion o
uanpopulation01
)
(20(06 (1nd 2000
100-
2006
2050
80-
60C
0
0
a.
40-
0'
I
-
20-
Africa
I
I
-T
Asia
Latin
America
Europe
---I
North
America
'""""""'" 1
Oceania
Percentage of people in urban environments (2006 and 2050)
13
NEW NORC CITY
Is Aging a Problem
In Your Country?
saving Me grow ing
h/
ppulIoll
Percentag(e
uninher (?felderl(y cifizes is (1 In mjr probleI
87
Japan
Korea
79
China
67
55
Germany
Spain
52
47
Kenya
France
45
Israel
43
Britain
43
Russia
42
Italy
41
Argentina
40
S.Africa
39
Pakistan
35
Turkey
34
Brazil
31
Mexico
30
Nigeria
28
U.S.A.
26
Indonesia
25
Egypt
23
14
A New Paradigm
by 63% to over 25% of the country's
overall population. In 2007, the Belgian
government spent 9.1% of its GDP
on pensions and 7.1 % on health care
expenses. Assuming there is no change
in the age of retirement, total social
spending is expected to increase by
5.8% by 2050. Most of this higher social
spending comes from pension and health
care, rising by 3.9% to 13.0% of GDP and
3.7% to 10.8% of GDP respectively.
All changes are not necessarily
negative, as the decline in the workforce
will partly compensate by lowering
unemployment which will in turn lower the
cost of childcare. The IMF also predicts
that by 2050 the percentage of Belgian
population over the age of 65 will increase
from 16% to 25% -a
quarter of their
population.
France overtook Ireland as the
European Union member state with the
highest birth-rate in 2007, when the IMF
made their study. Projected birth rates
indicate that France will have the largest
population in the EU by 2050, with 75
million citizens, ahead of Germany. In
2011, France was the only European
Union member with a fertility rate at
replacement level, with an average rate
of 2.08 children per woman while Ireland
-the previous leader- saw a fertility
rate decline to 2.01 children per woman,
slightly below replacement level.
With almost 82 million inhabitants,
Germany is the most populous country
in the European Union. However, its
15
NEW NORC CITY
Old Age Dependency
Ratios: 2010 and 2050
Aurnber of People
older th ani64 per 10(0 people
oj wokring age (ages 1.5-64)
2010
2050
U.S.A
7
Brazil
Mexico
$0
3
-7--9
Argentina
19s
Egypt
Iran
Turkey
3,j
1
7:
3
Israel
3
Russia
18
Germany
Britain
*
6Dmsusmoa
France
26
62
Italy
31snnnsns3
267
21n
Spain
India19
China
Indonesia
42
25
39
8
14
Pakistan
77
Japan Msseeninn
72
Korea
Nigeria
Kenya
S. Africa
6
10
15
16
A New Paradigm
Who Should Care
for the Elderly?
PercenItage (-/'f -)pul o I(IIVPI sa(t)ying
"__should care/for the e(lerhl
Themselves
Pakistan
EGovernment
EFamilies
2 7716
24
U.S.A.
46
Korea
53
33
Japan
27
36
France
23
Germany
41
42
38
33
Britain
39
Indonesia
13
Brazil
8
Mexico
Nigeria
24
4238
11
32
5
3840
Spain
13
S. Africa
11
Kenya
9
Argentina
11
Turkey
9
Egypt
9
55
2
0
39
55
42
51
China
9
Italy
7
47
56
Israel
11
Russia
8
17
61
63
NEW NORC CITY
fertility rate of 1.42 children per mother
is one of the lowest in the world. The
country's Federal Statistics Office estimates
the population will shrink to between 65
and 70 million by 2060 based on current
immigration levels. The population
decline in Germany will be responsible for
significant changes in its urban fabric. Its
population is expected to decline so much
that the Bauhaus Dessau Foundation
developed comprehensive plans to tear
down numerous buildings and replace them
with parks in various cities. In addition, the
Government of Germany developed a plan
to reduce at great expense the width of
sewer pipes in various cities.
As a response to its aging
population, Italy will need to raise its
retirement age to 77 or admit 2.2 million
immigrants annually to maintain its worker
to retiree ratio. A major factor for Italy's
rapidly aging population is its low birth rate.
About 25% of Italian women do not have
children while another 25% only have one
child.
The region of Liguria in northwestern
Italy now has the highest ratio of elderly to
youth in the world. Ten percent of Liguria's
schools closed in the first decade of the
21st century. The city of Genoa, one of
Italy's largest and the capital of Liguria,
is declining faster than most European
cities with a death rate of 13.7 deaths per
1,000 people, almost twice the birth rate,
7.7 births per 1,000 people, as of 2005.
The Italian government has tried to limit
and reverse the trend by offering financial
incentives to couples who have children,
18
/
A Now Paradigm
A.
\(Nq
y
/
F-V%o/I o/
/
/
SI
peopleover 0
in Europe by
/
__
counytry
18B-20%
16-16%
14-16%
12-14%
102%
W/A
Percentage of People Over the Age of 60 by Country
19
/
\
NEW NORC CITY
20
A New Paradigm
Elderly People in Tokyo Japan
participate in a group workout with
wooden dumbells.
21
NEW NORC CITY
and by increasing immigration.
Portugal's population census of 1994
found that 13.1 % of the population was above
the age of 65. Average life expectancy for
Portuguese increased by eight years between
the 1980s and the first decade of the 21st
century. In the 1960s life expectancy for
men ranked comparatively low in relation to
other Western European nations, with 61.2
years for men and 67.5 years for women. In
modern times, this trend has reversed, with
the average for both sexes being 77.7 years
by 2006. The IMF predicted that percentage
of elderly Portuguese would increase to 28%
in 2050.
Recent studies in the newspaper
"POblico" showed that the population may
shrink to 7.5 million in 2050, if the fertility rate
continues at 1.45 children/woman; taking
into account the almost stationary emigration
due to its economic crisis. In 2011, Portugal's
fertility rate reached 1.51 children per woman,
stemming the decline in the nation's fertility
rate, although it is still significantly below
replacement level.
In 1970, Spain's TFR, 2.9 children per
woman, ranked second in Western Europe
after Republic of Ireland's 3.9 children per
woman. By 1993 Spanish fertility declined
to 1.26 children per woman, the second
lowest after Italy. In 1999, researchers from
the University in Madrid published a study
on Spain's demography, predicting life
expectancy of 77.7 for males and 83.8 for
females by 2020. Arup Banerji and economist
Mukesh Chawla of the World Bank predicted
in July 2007 that half of Spain's population
22
A New Paradigm
30
Japan is puqmorted to home die highest
rk citizens. with ainsomt
pboportion qd
one, in four over the age of 65
25
20
-~
2005First
ojqj illmestaoificlUo
,s
2O
9
10
ae n o rs 1899
4fldinperdn supmaowod the wile firfos
diapes atnd has not eewrseeL
L19M
-
2013
-
0
ne death rote ozapwrd the birth rat
1960
1970
198
19M
2000
2008
Over 65 population in Japan
2010
I00
2050
0
23
0
whtxoqwsth
it ap
NEW NORC CITY
24
A New Paradigm
Future Residents of the Oakcreeek
Housing Community break ground
on their project
25
NEW NORC CITY
Elderly People in Tokyo Japan
participate in a group workout with
wooden dumbells.
26
A New Paradigm
will be older than 55 by 2050, giving Spain
the highest median age of any nation in the
world. However, in recent years, Spain's
fertility rate has grown from 1.15 children
per woman in 2000 to 1.48 in 2011, despite
remaining well below replacement levels.
The UK had a fertility rate of 1.94 in
2008 according to World Bank and a rate of
1.92 children per woman in 2010 according
to the CIA Factbook, The second highest
fertility rate of the European powers just
below France at 2. It is expected that the
United Kingdom's population will rise to
76.8 million by 2050. By 2050, the amount
of people older than 65 living in the UK
will exceed 25%, essentially putting more
people in pensions than there are children
under 15.
The aging of Japan is thought to
outweigh all other nations, as the country is
purported to have the highest proportion of
elderly citizens, with almost one in four over
the age of 65. Interesting phenomena have
resulted from this situation, such as the
sales of adult diapers outpacing the sales of
infant diapers, and as of 2005, its death rate
outpacing its birth rate.
In 1989, 11.6% of the population
was 65 years or older, with projections that
25.6% of the population would be over 65
by 2030. In 2011, 23.1% of the population
was 65 and above -almost reaching its
projections over 20 years in advancewhile 11.4% were already 75 and above,
the current world's highest.
This aging of the population was
27
NEW NORC CITY
brought about by an extreme form of
the demographic-economic paradox. In
other words, a combination of low fertility
and high life expectancies. The average
number of children born to a woman over
her lifetime has been fewer than two since
the late 1970s, with the average number
estimated at 1.5 in 1993. Since 1993
the birth rate was estimated at 10.3 per
1,000 people and continued to decline.
Family planning was nearly universal, with
condoms and legal abortions the main
forms of birth control. A suspected fringe
cause cause is the traditional Shinto belief
that overpopulation in Japan will upset
natural balance. Buddhist teachings say
similar things.
A number of factors -which can
be seen in the previous examples I have
noted - contributed to the trend toward
small families such as high education,
devotion to raising healthy children,
increasingly late marriage, increased
participation of women in the labor force,
small living spaces not suitable for family
lifestyles, education about the problems
of overpopulation, and the rising costs of
child care and education. All issues that
are relevant worldwide, and becoming
increasingly relevant in the US.
Life expectancies at birth, 76.4
years for males and 82.2 years for women
in 1993, were the highest in the world. In
comparison, the expected life span at the
end of World War I for both males and
females was 50 years. The mortality rate
in 1993 was estimated at 7.2 per 1,000
population.
28
A New Paradigm
Public policy, the media, and
discussions with private citizens revealed
a high level of concern for the implications
of one in four persons in Japan being 65 or
older. By 2025 the dependency ratio -the
ratio of people under age 15 plus those
65 and older to those age 15-65- was
expected to be two dependents for every
three workers. The aging of the population
was already becoming evident in the aging
of the labor force and the shortage of young
workers in the late-1980s, with potential
impacts on employment practices, wages
and benefits, and the roles of women in the
labor force.
The increasing proportion of
elderly people also had a major impact on
government spending in Japan. Millions of
dollars are saved every year on education
and on health care and welfare for children
as a way to incentivize child-rearing.
As recently as the early-1 970s, social
expenditures amounted to only about 6%
of Japan's national income. In 1992 that
portion of the national budget was 18%,
and it was expected that by 2025, 27% of
national income would be spent on social
welfare due to the increased need to
provide for their elderly population.
In addition, the median age of the
elderly population in Japan rose in the
late 1980s. The proportion of people age
65-85 was expected to increase from
6% in 1985 to 15% in 2025. Because the
incidence of chronic disease increases with
age, the health care and pension systems
were expected to come under severe
strain. In the mid-1 980s the government
29
NEW NORC CITY
began to reevaluate the relative burdens
of government and the private sector
in health care and pensions, and it
established policies to control government
costs in these programs.
A study by the UN Population
-
Division released in 2000 found that
similar to Italy's strategy- Japan would
need to raise its retirement age to 77 or
allow net immigration of 17 million by 2050
to maintain its current worker-to-retiree
ratio.
The effects of a declining population
can be adverse for an economy that
has borrowed extensively for repayment
by younger generations. Economically
declining populations are thought to lead
to deflation, which has a number of effects.
In addition, one cannot ignore
the social effects it can have on a rightleaning population who's income feeds
into a pension system that may not benefit
them in the future, due to the declining
ratio of tax-paying workers to pensioners.
However, standard of living does not
necessarily correlate with quality of life,
which may increase as the population
declines due to presumably reduced
pollution and consumption of natural
resources, as well as the decline of social
pressures and overutilization of resources
that can be linked to overpopulation.
There may also be reduced pressure
on infrastructure, education, and other
services as well.
In 2009 Interboro Partners went
30
A New Paradigm
The Aging Process
Timeline
Environmental
Mandatory age of retirmentfor air
Average Retirement Age (UISA)
Minimumn
traffic controlers
Physical
_50_
{
Bone Thinning Accelerates
60
--
agefor moss CCRCs
Ostheoporosis Becomes Common
Average age ofhip replacement patients
-
--
Have Hypertension
-40-50%
Onset ofimpotencefor majority of males
-70--
--
1/3 of men
1/2 ofswomen
get no exercize
Skin loses 20% thickness
-
Average age limit for organ donation
Average age in CCRC
---------
Average age in CCRC (At entry)
2" in height lost
80i
-- 90+-
Physical and environmental effects
of aging over time.
31
NEW NORC CITY
Aging with Family
Regularsocial interactionwith
family can improve quality of life,
prevent depression and anxiety, and
promote longer life
Z,
Younger family members can provide
carefor older ones as well as
transportationto andfrom activities
Lack of stress associatedwith moving
to a new environment and meeting
new people.
COME
Surplus space is required in order to
house an agingfamily member
comfortably.
In order to provide 24/7 care, a
family member must be present or
availablefor emergencies at all
times. Otherwise, and in-home nurse
may be necessary.
Not an optionfor people who do not
have children.
32
A New Paradigm
on a mission to document the presence
of NORCs in New York City. Coined in the
1980s by urban planner Michael Hunt,
NORC stands for Naturally Occurring
Retirement Community, implying that
its development happens without much
planning at all. The East River/Seward
Park/Hillman Co-op Village in New York
City where Interboro once exhibited its
work-is a NORC; with a combined 4,060
of its residents over the age of 60. The
challenges surrounding the needs of
senior citizens within urban environments
have obvious architectural and urban
implications, especially within the context of
aging cities.
While many living options are
available to elderly populations, an
increasingly high amount of them are
becoming financially out of reach for new
generations of seniors. Popular in Europe,
co-housing opens up new alternatives for
seniors to take control of the inevitable, to
live as independently as possible, as long
as possible. Co-housing sets seniors up
for success and helps them achieve their
full potential in the last 20-30 years of life.
Co-housing living arrangements support
individual's well-being physically, socially,
and emotionally, and offers aging adults
a way to live among people with whom
they share a common bond of age and
experience-an entirely new way to house
themselves with dignity, independence,
safety, mutual concern, and fun.
When it comes to the options elderly
people have for late-life care, they have
the option to age with family, age in place,
33
NEW NORC CITY
and age in a continuing care retirement
community (CCRC). Unfortunately, given
the economic standing of many younger
people in the US --In addition to a declining
birth rate-- options such as CCRCs and
aging with family will be increasingly out of
reach for them as they reach later stages in
their lives.
Due to this and other factors, it is
imperative that archtiects and designers
create a new housing typology that
blends the needs of the elderly with the
advantages available to residents of a cohousing development.
34
A New Paradigm
Continuing Care Retirement Communities
(CCRC)
What they are:
CCRCs are campus-style retirement
communities where adults age 60 or
older can live an active, engaging
lifestyle in a campus environment.
Btoksby Village:
Brooksby Village is a CCRC that is part of the Erickson Living network located in
Peabody, MA
1800
Residents
900
Employees
4
Cons:
Provides opportunities of social
interaction with peers who share
interests.
Prohibitively expensivefor people
outside ofspecific demographics.
A large arrayof services, resources,
and activities are always available
for residents.
Mortality is a constant theme
KENDAL
35
-
-----------
NEW NORC CITY
Aging in Place
PrOS:
Cost of aging in place is significantly
less than moving into a carefacility.
Excess space could be sold or rented
off to tenants to generate an income
post-retirement.
VI
Aging in place also helps protect
social connectionsfor long term
residents.
Allows elderly residents to remain
involved in their local community
COMM
The proper infrastructuremay not be
availablefor a resident who
suddelnly suffersfrom mobility
issues.
Residents may sufferfrom loneliness
or depression if neighbors and loved
ones have moved or passed away.
People with mobility issues may have
problems acessing thefirst/last mile
of their commutes
36
....
.. ............
A New Paradigm
Aging in place --while an option that
many people may have to accept as their
way of life-- may not contain the proper
infrastructure required to provide elderly
residents with their needs.
Concems:
In an increasinglyexpensive world
with and a strainedjob market, the
prospect of owning a home seems out
Apartment setups with roomates over
the age of 65 sharing a space could
create a new unforseen demographic.
of reachfor millenials.
As a result, a largerpopulation of
single, renting elderly citizens could
be a reality.
37
NEW NORC CITY
Trudealund:
33 units
Jystrup Savvaerket:
11%
Mejdal 1:
21 units
200/o
12
units
Mejdal 2:
12s
11%
38
14 units
A New Paradigm
Winslow:
27 units
settedarnmen:
31 units
J7',-
%Li
]
--
I
elo
-
11% 1
Drejerbanken:
lbsgarden:
20 units
14 units
I
i--i
16%
2
The above diagrams compare the allocation of space
between common and private spaces within eight
different cohousing developments around the world.
39
I
0
NEW NORC CITY
Elederly Comrm
-
75%
Elderly Residents
Ioi the neighborhoo<
MrOe
Peer Socialization
Exersize
Teaching
Learning
Relevancy
Independence
Safety
ino
co-housing
dere/opment (s (1n1
alernutiieto ((RCs.
Residents can rent
indimidual rooms or
shore with roormates
i/freside.s
are
accstomied to that
/ifeslI le)
N
Comr
IkE
Program
Great Room
Dining Room
Great Kitchen
Workshop
I'll"'
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Library
Classroom
Laundry
Storage
40
A Now Paradigm
House Dynamic
-i
25%
Young Adults
Younger memlbers o/the
cointUit'mI hore The
opitio 0/ renting out
Carpooling
Care
Networking
Leaoming
Mentoring
Spaces in the sme
derelopmeni.
Iounger residents ofer
sersies. tilt' elder iti
OXihange fOr rent
subs)idjes.
Young Families
Mo
,iebers o/ti
development fire ahle I
Privacy
reiiiniiiwithin tie
btuilding as li/i (t(g'i
Day Care
Vembers it ho do not
mnove 1)(1t have the
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seried elden popuilalton
DoUe
Servcs
Transportation
Handyman / Moving
Computer Help
Delivery
Day Care
Af
41
Co-housing developments have
the potential of mixing age groups,
creating environments where both
age groups can benefit from their
presence of the other.
NEW NORC CITY
42
A Look at Boston
A
LOOK
AT
BO STO
43
NEW NORC CITY
When deciding what location to place
a mixed-age co-housing development, it
is important to determine the needs of the
local population.
In my thesis, I looked for what I am
calling 'NORC Friendly Zones', or Naturally
Occuring Retirement Community Friendly
Zones. In order to Identify a NORC Friendly
Zone, I looked for four specific factors:
Access to a health center, access to a
piece of public infrastructure (i.e. Library
or community center), access to public
transportation, and access to public green
space.
In addition to being a site of these
four of these components, they must also
be located within a quarter-mile radius
to ensure that they are accessible to
the population. Using this methodology,
there were ten NORC Friendly sites in the
Boston/Brookline/Cambridge/Somerville
area.
44
A Look at Boston
NORC
Friendly
Zone*
1/4 mile radius regions that containa health center, public infrastruc,ure, and easy access to public transportationand public green space
-
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88
Health
Centers
Cambridge
252
Library
Branches
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12 Commuter Rail
Bmso4n
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4,685 Acres
Public Green
Space
Brookline
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Jamaica Plain
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A Look at Boston
Detail view of the NORC Friendly
Zone in Jamaica Plain, Boston. This
neighborhood is the site for the Cohousing development in the Thesis.
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Conditions
-II
50
M
A Look at Boston
One particular block in the southeast
quadrant of the NORC Friendly Zone in
Jamaica Plain stood out as an ideal site for
a mixed-age co-housing development. In
addition to being adjacent to a public park,
the selected block contains a continuing
care facility at the western edge. In other
words, hypothetical elderly citizens from the
co-housing development have the option of
moving into a continuing care facility when
medical needs become too significant.
Continuing a
center locarb
within the sai
block.
X"
51
NEW NORC CITY
The housing stock is another way in
which the area can improve. A majority
of houses are triple deckers with high
stoops, limited vertical access, narrow
hallways, and other issues
52
A Look at Boston
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53
NEW NORC CITY
54
Proposal
PROPOSAL
55
NEW NORC CITY
In my thesis, I present a four-step
process in which a cohousing development
can be introduced to an existing
neighborhood and gradually added to as
time goes by.
56
Proposal
Identify site within NOR CFriendly
Zone that can serve as an idealsitefor
the Co-HousingDevelop rment
Buildfrst wave ofco/u ousng
development on block wvith common
house and exteriorspatce included
57
NEW NORC CITY
The cohousing development will
have a common house as well as other
shared amenities. As development matures,
adjacent developed plots of land can share
the common amenities, eventually creating
a separate urban fabric from within the
block.
58
Proposal
As new development takes adjacent
parcelsof land shme cor mon
ammenities together, creatinga larger
complex
-4I
As new development takes, adjacent
parcelsoflandshare common
ammenities together, creatinga larger
complex
59
NEW NORC CITY
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Proposal
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Series of diagrams showcasing the
possible spatial configurations within the
development.
61
Axonomotric drawing highlighting the
program of the entire development.
NEW NORC CITY
Site Plan
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Second Floor Plan
69
NEW NORC CITY
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Proposal
Section 1 (through building and library)
71
NEW NORC CITY
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NEW NORC CITY
Final Model
80
Proposal
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81
NEW NORC CITY
Final Model
82
Proposal
83
NEW NORC CITY
84
Bibliography
Durrett, Charles, and William H. Thomas. Senior Cohousing Handbook a Community
Approach to Independent Living. 2nd ed. Gabriola Island, B.C.: New Society, 2009.
Print.
Anderzhon, Jeffrey W. Design for Aging International Case Studies of Building and Program. Hoboken, N.J.: John Wiley & Sons, 2012. Print.
Hansen, Chris, and Kelly Hansen. The Cohousing Handbook Building a Place for Community. Rev. ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: New Society, 2005. Print.
Design for Aging Review: AlA Design forAging Knowledge Community. 11th ed. Mulgrave, Vic.: Images Group, 2012. Print.
Gimmy, Arthur E., and Michael G. Boehm. Elderly Housing: A Guide to Appraisal, Market
Analysis, Development, and Financing. Chicago, Ill.: American Institute of Real Estate
Appraisers, 1988. Print.
Goldenberg, Leon. Housing for the Elderly: New Trends in Europe. New York: Garland
STPM, 1981. Print.
Smith, Korydon H., and Wolfgang F. E. Preiser. Universal Design Handbook. 2nd ed.
New York: McGraw-Hill, 2011. Print.
Hunt, John. Housing and Care for Elderly People. Cwmbran Development Corporation
and Torfaen Borough Council, 1985. Print.
McCamant, Kathryn, and Charles Durrett. Creating Cohousing Building Sustainable
Communities. Gabriola, B.C.: New Society, 2011. Print.
Project on Newly Designed Living Environment for the Elderly: Research Report, October 2000. Hong Kong: Hong Kong Polytechnic U, 2000. Print.
The Urban Conspiracy. Amsterdam: Stichting Archis, 2011. Print.
85