The experience of older people living in an innovative residential care facility

Housing for older people in Flanders evolves toward small-scale, homelike environments. As population ageing challenges the affordability of this tendency, architects are designing innovative living schemes that offer the advantages of smallscaleness within a large-scale context. We examine how such a recently built scheme is used and experienced by its residents. Analysis of interviews and guided tours suggests that the contemporary architecture is appreciated, but its materialisation is missing a homelike atmosphere. The repetitive layout is experienced as highly confusing and lacks differentiation. Our study illustrates the importance of follow-up studies since architects and care organisations might take such an innovative concept as an example without knowing its benefits and deficiencies.status: publishe