SMRITI VANAM - An Integrated Dementia Research center and Alzheimer’s care facility unit.

Abstract

The rapid growth of the ageing population in India, combined with rising cases of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, has created an urgent need for specialised care environments that extend beyond conventional hospital models. Despite advancements in medical research, dementia care in India remains fragmented, with limited facilities that provide integrated long-term care, therapeutic engagement, caregiver support, and clinical assessment within a unified architectural framework. This thesis responds to this critical gap by proposing “Smrithi Vanam” — an Integrated Alzheimer’s Care Facility and Dementia Research Centre located on an 18-acre triangular waterfront site on Willingdon Island, Kochi. The research investigates how architecture can function as an active therapeutic medium, shaping behaviour, enhancing memory cues, reducing anxiety, and supporting independence for individuals with cognitive decline. The proposed design incorporates traditional Kerala architectural elements—courtyards, verandas, sloping tiled roofs, shaded pathways, and natural materials—to create a homelike, low-stress environment that resonates with regional identity while meeting global standards of dementia-friendly design. The thesis develops an architectural program that integrates four key components: a residential Alzheimer’s care village, memory clinic with diagnostic spaces, and a multidisciplinary dementia research unit. The spatial organisation prioritises safe freedom of movement, sensory landscapes, visual orientation, environmental comfort, and social interaction, supported by climate-responsive planning dictated by the site’s unique coastal microclimate. The resulting design demonstrates how built environments in India can evolve to provide dignified, culturally rooted, scientifically informed care for one of the country’s most vulnerable populations. This thesis concludes that when architecture, research, caregiving, and landscape work in synergy, they can significantly improve quality of life, support families and caregivers, and contribute meaningfully to the national dementia-care infrastructure. The project proposes a replicable model that bridges the gap between healthcare, community, and cultural identity—positioning architecture at the forefront of dementia care innovation in India.