Do you remember how, as a student, you used to dream about the future? How you’d get excited about the decades ahead, how you’d decorate your student room, and all the possibilities that lay before you? Everything felt open and hopeful, focused on what was still to come.
But what if I asked you that same question now — not about the beginning, but about the final phase of your life? Have you ever really thought about that? Probably not. You might be thinking, “Why would I worry about that now? I can think about it later.” But what if, one day, you’re faced with an illness such as dementia or Alzheimer’s disease? Have you ever stopped to consider what your future would look like then, and how you’d want to live? And what if your memories are rooted in a different place from the one your loved ones eventually choose for you?
The preliminary research study Ruimte voor een veranderende wereld by Studio Ricky Rijkenberg explores how spatial design can contribute to the independence and cultural connection of older people with memory loss. By studying international examples and working together with experts, the research explores how architecture, technology and social structures can promote a dignified old age. Mock-ups and scale models are used to explore new spatial solutions together with care staff, residents and designers. The results are collected in a sketchbook that guides the follow-up to the project.
This is an ongoing project; the results will be presented in 2026.
Stimuleringsfonds voor Creative Industrie
Design: Ricky Rijkenberg