A Focus on Place Attachment Informed Design in Cohousing for Widowed Male Seniors

This thesis explores the potential application of place attachment-informed design within the concept of senior cohousing. Place attachment theory is studied as a strategy to support users’ overall well-being through safety, independence, and socialization. The conceptual framework followed in this study connects the Tripartite Model of Place Attachment to the Conceptual Framework of Person-Environment Processes in Later Life. The methods utilized to gather data include literature reviews and interviews with design professionals and staff of senior community centres or senior living facilities. The results of this study support the integration of place attachment-informed design strategies in senior cohousing. Some significant obstacles are discussed, such as the limitations imposed by safety concerns with an aging population. Finally, preliminary programming and conceptual approach to the design of a senior cohousing are presented.