Study on Internal Layout of UK's Day Care Unit for Older People

Abstract

This study focuses on the internal layout of premises of UKs day care unit for older people, including possible combinations of rooms and spaces, access and circulation. All day units require a minimum of a dining/activity space, a kitchen, (a) toilet (s) and storage space, these rooms and spaces are combined into the basic type of premises. Depending on the aims of the unit, the number of places provided, and users' needs, many of the disadvantages associated with basic premises can be overcome if the premises have extra spaces. From the above analysis we can see that, in existing day unit premises, the number and type of rooms and spaces and how they are grouped together vary considerably, ranging from simple to complex arrangements. Also, the relationships between rooms and spaces in layouts for all day unit premises need to be pondered over, including distances between key rooms/spaces, the relative location of spaces in terms of their functions, the relationship between private and public spaces and the views within and between rooms, and from external windows. In addition, access and circulation of a day unit need to be considered carefully, including access to the day unit premises and the reception space and internal circulation.