Shared Sites - Design for Inter Gernerational Aging: Movement Around Water

Site: St. Louis Environmental press plays an important role in both a person's physical and mental development. Research shows that children and older adults' walking speed are both in the lower range of all age groups and are quite similar to one another. Even for a healthy senior, their mobility will most likely decrease in a gradual but stable pattern as they age. A healthy environment should be able to encourage mobility in a safe surrounding, while a completely safe space is often unenterprising. The program proposed is a physical health center with a pool in the center of activities. Water facility contains a lap pool, a Jacuzzi pool, and a stream of foot bath along the patio. The pool can be used for water therapy, exercises, and leisure use. The rest of the health center includes exercise spaces for children and older adults, studios, and classrooms. Subtle elevation changes occur throughout the building as well as seating. Interior landscapes composed of ramps, deep and wide steps, and curbs serve as circulation paths as well as exercise infrastructure, encouraging movements without being too difficult to use. A belt of activities separating the dry area and the water activities is composed of walkways, pausing pockets of space that can be used as seating, a juice bar, or play zone. This belt serves as a medium between the wet and the dry, allowing observers (parents, families, care-takers) visual connection into the exercise room as well as the pool. The project focuses on distinguishing and separating wet and dry spaces, as well as interior and exterior spaces. Due to weather and security conditions, the pool is preferably enclosed. Therefore, the changes of lighting and humidity between these spaces should all be carefully considered alongside the environmental press theme and building materials.