De Linde is a small-scale residential care facility for 24 elderly people with dementia. The building is uniquely located in the small village of Achterberg in the municipality of Rhenen, in the Netherlands.

Until recently, residential facilities in the Netherlands, for people with dementia, were large-scale complexes with a hospital-like appearance. Often still with multi-person rooms, shared sanitary facilities, long corridors, little private space and little atmosphere and appearance.

Studio id+ conducted several (design) research programs to investigate the impact of the building and space on people with dementia. We translated medical/scientific knowledge into design principles. To be able to design environments that contribute positively to well-being and health. But above all, they lead to less frustration, agitation, and misunderstood behavior of people with dementia and thus to a lower demand for care (from caretakers) and eventually even possibly lower medication.

De Linde is an outstanding example of the implementation of this knowledge in a design project. Please take also the very tight budget in account.

The building is designed as a cluster of “houses” connected by meeting areas (living rooms). Residents are free to move throughout the building and choose their own place to stay.

As a starting point for the design, we analyzed a route through the building. The outcome was that there were many extremes in stimuli (over stimulation) and experiences. For example, the experience of outside space, height of spaces and orientation. With the interior design, we intended to balance and nuance these extremes. With a balanced basic plan with room for variation and upgrades in intensity of colors and materials. To help people with dementia with soft transitions in the spaces.

We developed three different atmospheres in coherence with each other. The floor design is a good example of this approach. Large contrasts in color tones can be alienating and frightening for people with dementia; soft transitions are therefore desirable. To be able to create different atmospheres with darker and lighter floors, we designed a pixel floorplan with 9 different color shades, from dark to light.

Besides a coherent and attractive interior design in general, the innovation of this project is about the way we took the perspective of people with dementia in every detail in account and implemented research. Some examples:
- There are shelfs next to the rooms for personal belongings to help people recognize their room
- The wall paneling has a handle to hold on to and support people physically
- There are felt wall panels that provide orientation based on sensorial experience (by touch) since the loss of eyesight
- There are seats as resting points in the corridors to meet and pause
- Kitchens are open for smell experience to help orientate in time and place
- There is a biodynamic based lighting plan to orientate and stimulate the sense of time