Interpreting spatial layouts of nursing homes based on partitioning theory

Abstract

With the aging world and the improvement of people’s living standards, the quality of elderly life is gaining more attention. The nursing home is an important carrier for the life of the elderly, the reasonable layout of its spaces can provide a better wayfinding experience for residents. Based on the survey of 168 Japanese nursing homes, we found that some spatial layouts are more widely used in the design of nursing homes than others. The intention of this paper is to attempt to explore the characteristics of these spatial layouts within the theoretical framework of space syntax. The expectation is to discover certain design principles that are followed when the spaces in the nursing home are arranged, seeking to contribute to a better understanding of nursing home morphology. Setting out from the spatial models established by partitioning theory research, the paper examines the impacts of the different numbers of corridors, different corridor combinations, and different spatial distribution on their subjects. The result shows that designers will consider a combination of influencing factors when designing the spatial layout of the nursing home. In terms of the number of corridor and corridor combinations, the spatial layout which facilitates the residents’ wayfinding is adopt in more nursing home plans, but in terms of spatial distribution, the plan layout of nursing homes is more focused on a balanced design. Finally, this paper analyses the design principles of spatial layout for nursing homes by using spatial syntax theory and method based on experience. It suggests that the theory and method can provide designers with a new way of thinking about understanding architectural space.