GRUHAM is a thesis project focused on designing an inclusive and sustainable residential facility for the elderly population in Nepal. With the elderly demographic growing rapidly and traditional joint family systems weakening due to urban migration and modernization, the need for specialized senior living environments has become urgent.

This project responds to that need by creating a safe, dignified, and healing space where the elderly can live independently, semi-independently, or with assisted care based on their requirements.

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Goals & Objectives

• Address the social, psychological, and physical needs of elderly individuals.
• Provide a user-friendly, barrier-free environment that encourages autonomy and dignity.
• Promote mental wellness and reduce social isolation through community integration.
• Utilize local materials and vernacular design techniques to maintain cultural relevance.
• Integrate passive and sustainable design strategies for comfort and energy efficiency.

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Target User Groups

• Elderly requiring assisted living or medical attention.
• Homeless seniors or those abandoned by families.
• Local elderly seeking daytime care and engagement.
• Seniors who wish to live independently within a support system.

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Design Strategy

• Zoning: Clear hierarchy between public, semi-public, private, and service zones.

• Built Environment: Independent, semi-independent, and assisted care units; multipurpose hall; medical bay; meditation trails; and courtyards.

• Landscape Integration: Healing gardens, walking paths, water features, and shaded sitting zones.

• Accessibility: Ramps, handrails, wide corridors, and easy-to-navigate interiors for all mobility levels.

• Materiality: Use of bamboo, mud plaster, timber, and stone for sustainable construction and a warm, familiar ambiance.

• Passive Design Features: Cross ventilation, daylighting, thermal massing, and green roofing.

• Psychosocial Design: Spaces to foster community bonding, individual reflection, and a sense of belonging.

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Highlights

• Research-backed design informed by national and international case studies.
• Empathic architecture focused on aging with dignity.
• Integration of vernacular wisdom with modern caregiving needs.
• Contextually grounded with local site conditions, climate, and social fabric.

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Final Outcome

GRUHAM offers a scalable prototype for elderly living facilities in Nepal. It blends contextual architecture, inclusive design, and emotional intelligence into a functional, therapeutic, and dignified living space for seniors. The project also reflects a personal commitment to supporting aging populations with thoughtful, human-centered architecture.

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