A team of
Northumbria University academics has been awarded funding to design and develop
a purpose-built home office within a prototype home, that will allow people to
age in place and work effectively from home.
The
research, led by Paul Jones, Professor of Architecture at Northumbria, is one
of six Pathfinder Projects announced by the Design Age Institute to develop commercially
viable products and services that will enable individuals and communities to
maintain an active and joyful life at every age.
The housing
industry in the UK does not respond to the challenges of growing old. It continues
to build homes that are very difficult to adapt, compromising the ability of
people to ‘age in place’ - a term used to describe a person living in the
residence of their choice, for as long as they are able, as they age.
Northumbria
University will be working with Design Age Institute to design and develop a
purpose-built home office within a prototype home, to be built at South Seaham Garden Village in County Durham.
The project
is supported by developer and housing association Karbon Homes as part of
their commitment to ageing innovation and ageing-in-place strategies within the
village, building on previous research they have worked on in collaboration
with the University. This Pathfinder Project will lead to a blueprint of how
older people can work efficiently and effectively from home and remain
productive beyond retirement age.
The home
office will consider layout, ergonomics, flexible and demountable furniture, lighting,
and smart technology. It will be codesigned with members of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists,
the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy,
and older people, in collaboration with the National Innovation Centre for Ageing (NICA) and Voice, a community of patients, carers and
members of the public contributing their lived experience to inform health
research.
Professor
Paul Jones explains the timeliness of the project in responding to the rapid
changes in the employment market for older people: “Since the onset of the
pandemic, working at home has become the norm. We know that older people (along
with the young) were most likely to be made redundant as a result of Covid. The
cost of living has risen sharply, and pensions are not keeping pace with this
rise. Many older people have therefore decided to set up businesses at home.
“However,
the domestic environment and the functionality of the home is not always
conducive. Working in later life must be considered in a different way. Long
hours in front of a monitor in the same position, for instance, is not
suitable. Research suggests older workers need more breaks; they need to
exercise and stretch; have access to a better and more tailored ergonomic
environment; and opportunity to collaborate and meet others to develop ideas
and avoid loneliness.”
Increasingly,
an understanding of smart tech and online systems is also required to run a
business, and how a dwelling can switch between a workplace and a home is
another factor that the team will consider, which is especially important if
space is at a premium.
“All of
these issues form the basis of interesting design challenges that the research
project aims to address,” adds Professor Jones. “Northumbria University is
excited to work with the Design Age Institute and Karbon Homes, along with
older people and health professionals to develop such a potentially impactful
and important project.”
Five other
successful projects will also be supported by The Design Age Institute,
including cargo-carrying robots, an app to engage people with their hearing
health through birdsong, an age-inclusive bank, data-driven diabetes management
and a two-wheeled personal electronic vehicle.
Based at the
Royal College of Art, The Design Age Institute was set up to provide design
support for Pathfinder Projects; accelerating an innovative idea for healthy
ageing from a prototype towards market. The objectives of these projects are to
help people age healthier and happier in their home, workplace and
neighbourhood by addressing issues of mobility, health, social connection,
working life, finance, independence at home and ageism.
Colum Lowe,
Director, Design Age Institute, said: “From health and mobility to housing and
financial security, each of these innovative Pathfinder Projects focuses on a
different fundamental part of day-to-day life. They all have the important
common goal of developing desirable and commercially viable products and services
for an ageing society. We're pleased to be working with a number of exceptional
organisations and we look forward to launching more projects soon”.
From accommodating increased working
from home and an ageing society, to reducing energy usage and withstanding the
impact of climate change, our homes need to meet a growing list of changing
demands. Northumbria University is helping to tackle some of these challenges
head-on and on Wednesday 9 March 2022 it will host an interactive webinar with leading
industry partners and experts in this field. Find out more about the online
event at www.northumbria.ac.uk/homesforthefuture.
