Sunlove Marsiling Senior Activity Centre: Inside Out

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Project Info

Inside Out
Sunlove Senior Activity Centre is situated under the void deck of one of the blocks in Marsiling. Tasked to redesign the centre, instead of proposing changes straight away, the team wanted the elderly residents to define the problem, be involved in the design and take ownership of the changes they wanted. The students sought to understand the elderly better by digging deeper into their lives, stories and voices, engaging them in workshops, discussions and making design choices. A community sharing session and design workshop was held at the senior activity centre with the elderly, who expressed their hobbies, preferences and desires for the place they call their second home.

With these takeaways, the students crafted Inside Out, studying the concept of turning the senior activity centre inside out, making use of mobile and modular furniture that created additional pockets of outdoor spaces, as extensions of the senior activity centre. Instead of being isolated in the senior activity centre, the elderly could interact and make friends with the public, who may be even beyond their age group. They designed a pair of benches which could act as screens to hide the clutter within, or rolled out as benches for social exchange in the void deck, and vertical checkerboards for community bonding and intellectual stimulation for the elderly residents. On the day of the makeover, the students playfully occupied the void deck and had an extremely fulfilling and enjoyable experience painting and building the prototype together with the elderly.

Faculty/Students Involved

  • Prof Chong Keng Hua
  • Prof Oliver Heckmann
  • Jezamine Chua Zihui
  • Zhang Ke Er
  • Tan Yen Lin
  • Sean Gwee
  • Tan Etinne
  • Melissa Lee Wen Hui
  • Priscilla Teh
  • Tee Yong Kiat
  • Yap Kar Jing Joel
  • Faizah J’affar

Project Duration

February – May 2014

Funding Source

Ministry of Health Alexandra Health Systems

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