Project: Dementia-Friendly Wayfinding System
Architects: ONG&ONG Group
Location: Khatib Central & Chong Pang City, Singapore
Photographs by: IMMORTAL
In keeping with the Singapore government’s initiative to enable ageing in place, a dementia-friendly wayfinding solution was devised for Khatib Central and Chong Pang City, which were identified as residential estates with ageing populations.
The project’s objective was to create a system that assists seniors and those afflicted with dementia in navigating around their neighborhoods safely and independently. This was achieved by formulating wayfinding strategies that support easy navigation between residential blocks and key amenities around the estates, especially within high-traffic zones.
Building upon research to ascertain the needs of the elderly and dementia patients, the resulting wayfinding solution involves zoning areas by color and symbol, as well as developing a signage system that allows easy spatial recognition.
The residential blocks were sectioned into zones and each was assigned a bold color – either red, green or blue. The zone colors were painted on the façade of the blocks, along with block numbers prominently displayed in large fonts, making them easily legible from a distance.
Other features of the wayfinding project include super-sized graphic walls and pillar signage that incorporate directional elements, universal icons, as well as stenciled symbols of pineapples, tropical fish and rubber trees, chosen for their close association with the area’s heritage. These simple yet distinctive visual cues serve as visual anchors for clear identification by color zone and are positioned at common areas such as lift lobbies and stairwells. In addition, directional signage on aluminum panels were integrated with concrete seats that double as resting spots for senior residents.
The signage system was applied seamlessly to the existing infrastructure, making for a community-friendly approach that prioritizes the well-being of the elderly demographic.
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-Project description and images provided by ONG&ONG Group
