YORK ARCHITECT ENCOURAGES DESIGNERS OF THE FUTURE
Picture shows: (L-R) David Ward, chief executive of DWA Architects with Lyth Watson, development director of Bupa Care Services.
A York architect is spearheading an international competition to get young building designers thinking creatively about housing an ageing population.
DWA Architects is launching the design competition for architectural students in partnership with the Royal Institute of
British Architects (RIBA); with support from one of the UK’s largest care home operators, Bupa Care Services.
Says DWA chief executive, David Ward: “Forecasts show that the rapidly ageing population in the UK will have a dramatic effect on our society. The number of people aged 85 and over is growing year on year, but there are fewer people able and willing to care for them so the demand for care homes is escalating.
“Society will need to adapt to accommodate the needs of people living longer, often with complex care needs, and the design and location of care homes is a key part of this process. Care home design has become very sophisticated in recent years, with homes built to provide residential accommodation as well as much needed care for the more frail and growing numbers of people expected to have the diseases of old age such as dementia.”
DWA is marking its 20th year in business by launching the international design competition, ‘Caring for Older People’, in a bid to encourage the architects of the future to get involved in the design of the care homes of the future.
Students entering the competition will be asked to take into consideration a number of issues including community integration, improving visitor numbers, energy conservation and the best layout for the patient; all of which helps improve quality of life for residents.
DWA Architects has carved a niche in the healthcare market, where it has an enviable track record and has notched up a stream of industry accolades.
The competition is supported by Bupa Care Services. Development director, Lyth Watson, says: “It’s vital that care is provided for older people in appropriate settings. This competition is a great way of engaging tomorrow’s architects with the specialist issues raised by older people’s care needs and encouraging them to think creatively about the best ways of meeting them.”
David Ward adds, “There are so many issues already affecting the design of care homes in the UK, and I’m intrigued to see what ideas come forward in the competition. Hopefully some of the designs will be adopted and our ageing population will enjoy the benefits.”
The competition will be judged by Professor June Andrews from the Dementia Services Development Centre at Stirling University, Neil Hunt, chief executive of the Alzheimer’s Society, Lyth Watson, Bupa Care Services director of business development, and DWA Architects chief executive, David Ward.
For more information about the competition and to download an entry form, visit www.architecture.com/competitions. The deadline for submissions is 6 March 2009.