Contributor

John Killock

Architecture graduate from the University of Westminster

John Killock is a recent architecture graduate from the University of Westminster who is quickly collecting a number of awards. He was recently granted the RIBA Boyd Auger Scholarship award to research the growing problem of an ageing population within the Western World and the specific issue of suitable and sustainable accommodation for a new generation of older people.

John is exploring the suitability of co-housing as a typology for this demographic group, learning from existing examples and how this could be used as part of the solution for housing an ageing population in the context of the UK.

Radically different but achievable models are required to not only meet the aspirations of a new twenty-first century generation of older people in the UK, but to benefit the rest of society through a strengthened community, reduced healthcare demands, a more environmental solution to housing and the potential of a reduced generational divide.

Currently in the UK there are a very small number of recently completed co-housing schemes which vary considerably in their size, demographic makeup and architectural design. There are currently no officially known completed ‘senior’ co-housing developments built in the UK although several are in planning (Ormond 2011).