Diseño arquitectónico de una residencia geriátrica biofílica en San Antonio de Pichincha

Abstract

The design of the Biophilic Geriatric Residence in San Antonio de Pichincha is conceived as an architectural response to the shortage of spaces dedicated to older adults and the limited connection this population group maintains with the natural environment. The project is developed as a micro-centrality within the Urban Plan of the Mitad del Mundo Ecotourism Corridor, derived from the C40 – Reinventing Cities competition. Based on a multi-scalar analysis of the area, this plan seeks to consolidate the urban growth of the parish through the activation of previously unconsolidated areas. In this context, the demographic analysis reveals a lack of specialized spaces for older adults, a problem addressed through the design of a geriatric residence integrated into the urban fabric.The main objective of the project is to design a space that incorporates principles of biophilic architecture in its spatial configuration, materiality, and relationship with the natural environment, promoting active, healthy, and dignified aging. The proposal focuses on the connection between user, context, and built space through sensory experience. The project aims to stimulate the five senses—sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch—as a strategy to respond to the progressive decline of sensory capacities associated with aging. Each sense is translated into specific spatial zones that activate and articulate those sensory abilities that remain functional. Likewise, the materiality, based on the use of stone and wood native to the context, reinforces local identity and enhances the sensory experience of the space. As a whole, the project adapts to its natural and social environment, conceiving the residence not as an isolated center, but as a collective centrality that fosters intergenerational and urban integration.