A 48-unit seniors supportive housing building adds to the existing Seton Villa campus in Burnaby, BC. As part of the design, a new garden amenity building provides a destination for residents to take part in activities and share a coffee or meal with friends, while enjoying views of the gardens and North Shore mountains. Photo by EHA
The pandemic brought elders? housing into sharp focus for many of us for the first time. But Vancouver-based architect Eitaro Hirota had long been working on reshaping the elder-care landscape in British Columbia, one project at a time. By considering the full scope of changing spatial needs that people may have as they age, the practice aims to incrementally renovate and futureproof both buildings and cities.
Hirota explains that as an early-career architect, he was drawn to the complexities of elder care after seeing the institutional options available for his ill father. He gradually retrofitted a space in his own house to serve as a ?makeshift care home.? In the decade since, Hirota has been on an active learning journey, honing his skills in designing improved seniors? care facilities, researching how architecture can better serve aging populations, and seeking precedents for creating community resiliency in the face of changing demographics. The Rinkyo Laneway House for an aging parent includes six one-room volumes, strategically shifted to create spaces for gardens and patios. Photo by EHA
One of EHA?s earliest projects is the Homecoming...