General
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Putting a smile on the faces of the elderly and people with disabilities
Welfare facilities should be places where the elderly and people with disabilities can feel at ease. While our intended users are at the forefront of our minds, we strive to create buildings that employees, families, and community members feel at home as well.
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Unified design concept
Good welfare facilities are designed in a way that aligns the abstract, intangible facets of buildings with their physical and material qualities. We take this philosophy to heart, and ensure that all aspects of our buildings, from planning and design considerations, to the choice of materials and color schemes, follow the same unified concept.
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Design in the eyes of the users
When we design a welfare facility, we start by putting ourselves in the users’ shoes. For example, deliberately incorporating empty space into a room can impart a sense of serenity and calm. We also know the importance of choosing materials that fit the design concept of a facility, achieving this by incorporating stain- and scratch-resistant materials whenever possible, and never forgetting that a comfortable environment for users is the ultimate goal.
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Bright, sunny dining rooms and kitchens
Living and dining rooms are important communal spaces in welfare facilities. More so than residents’ own rooms, which are private spaces, designing these communal spaces to have good sunlight and views gives the whole building a bright, cheerful ambience.
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Use of wood
We try to maximize our use of wood and wooden materials in residential spaces. Wood is not only good for the spirit: it is believed to have tangible, physical benefits as well.
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Ties with the local community
We believe that welfare facilities should walk in step with the local community. We believe that outreach activities and active communication with community residents can help users avoid the need for nursing care, and slow the progression of dementia.
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Disaster preparedness
Being prepared for earthquakes, fires, tsunamis, and other disasters is especially important for welfare facilities. Buildings need to have tangible, ‘hard’ structures in place, such as escape balconies and fire protection zones, but these alone are not enough: ‘soft’ measures are needed as well, such as evacuation drills and emergency response guidelines. Local residents love our welfare facilities, which serve as local disaster-preparedness centers, underscoring the mutual assistance that characterizes their relationship.
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Wear-and-tear and forward-looking solutions
Wear-and-tear is a serious problem facing welfare facilities. We draw on our long years of experiences to propose real solutions to the challenges that accompany the passage of time, such as updating equipment, reviewing usability, and improving earthquake-resistance performance.
Homes for
the Elderly
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Lifestyles full of community interactions
Elderly care facilities often have rules and other restrictions that place restraints on their residents’ lifestyles, risking isolation. We try to enrich residents’ daily lives by finding ways to bring local residents through their door, to create opportunities for interactions with people of all ages. You could even call this a kind of ‘preventative care’ itself.
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Bright, clean bathrooms
Bathrooms are a space you use every day: it stands to reason you’d want them to be bright and clean. Natural ventilation is an essential part of preventing mold growth and dampness. Our bathrooms have large windows to ensure plenty of ventilation and lighting, keeping them clean and hygienic, and creating an environment where the elderly can bathe in relaxation and comfort.
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Added value for our users’ sake
Our buildings are designed to have public spaces where elderly users can congregate, separate from rooms for ordinary activities. These value additions give residents more opportunities to freely move about the facility, letting them enjoy their lives more. Care prevention is the goal: not through forced exercise, but by encouraging movement that can fit into their daily lives.
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Opportunities for interactions with all ages
Elderly care facilities can create opportunities for their users to interact with youngsters by having programs or events that encourage visits by children in the neighborhood and childcare centers. Talking with younger generations allows the elderly to reminiscence about their own youthful days, slowing the progression of dementia.
Homes for the People with Disabilities
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Improving the workspace environment, strengthening the will to work
People with disabilities who visit continuous employment support centers spend a lot of time in their workspaces. We are meticulous about designing this environment in ways that strengthen their ‘will to work’, incorporating elements that enhance their motivation and make them more conscientious about keeping things clean and tidy.
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Open to the community
What kind of place is a disabled facility? Most people probably couldn’t tell you if you asked them. These centers are prone to isolation: invisibility and ignorance are precursors to prejudice, which weakens the ties between people with disabilities and the public. Opening them up gives people a greater understanding and appreciation of people with disabilities and their lives. Our dream is for a society with no divides between healthy people and those with disabilities.
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Communal living with special attention to communication
Group homes are places of communal living. We strive to create environments where residents can communicate freely and regularly, increasing conversations, building camaraderie, and strengthening their desire to help one another.
