When it comes to being human, it is about being different. In the architecture course I found out that we all have our differences in ability, mobility and personality. Therefore, we should design with everyone in mind and not just for the average person as the average person is rarer than it seems.
We were given the task to research and pick a client who had a disability, either physically or mentally, and design a space/folly for them. I went down the route of going for a person of mental illness as the thought of an invisible disability or a disability you don’t quite see at first interested me. My chosen client in the end was someone with Parkinson’s Disease (PD).
After further research I discovered the needs for someone with PD and how to adapt design to suit them, as well as taking into consideration our brief which stated we must try and make the folly feel homely and comfortable to combat the feeling of isolation as many have felt during the ongoing pandemic.
The design result is a space with a therapy pool at the end and on the journey to this activity is a variety of seating to allow different seating arrangements to suit any comfort/need, the seating also encourages friends and family to join in conversation as they look through the large gap in the wall overlooking scenic views.