Echoes of a forgotten dream: Metamorphosis of living, ageing, culture and lifestyle among Persian seniors
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Authors
Dadashi, Asieh
Author ORCID Profiles (clickable)
Degree
Master of Architecture (Professional)
Grantor
Unitec, Te Pūkenga – New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology
Date
2025
Supervisors
Pretty, Annabel
Rennie, Julian
Rennie, Julian
Type
Masters Thesis
Ngā Upoko Tukutuku (Māori subject headings)
Keyword
Iran
older people
housing for older people
housing
aged care facilities
architecture for older people
architecture and society
Iranian architecture
older people
housing for older people
housing
aged care facilities
architecture for older people
architecture and society
Iranian architecture
ANZSRC Field of Research Code (2020)
Citation
Dadashi, A. (2024) Echoes of a forgotten dream: Metamorphosis of living, ageing, culture and lifestyle among Persian seniors (Unpublished document submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Architecture (Professional)). Unitec, Te Pūkenga - New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology
https://hdl.handle.net/10652/7184
Abstract
‘Echoes of a Forgotten Dream: Metamorphosis of Living; Ageing, Culture and Lifestyle Among Persian Seniors’ explores the design environment for senior living, aiming to foster dignity, autonomy, functionality, and emotional well-being among Persian seniors through culturally rooted dwelling design. Inspired by Iran’s architectural legacy, the design of the facility seeks to provide a homely atmosphere that fosters identity, memory, and belonging. The project’s primary goal is to establish a living environment where aging is accepted as usual, moving away from the old model of the nursing home as a medical care facility.
In Iranian cultural history, caring for older people has been one of the key commitments in families. Hence, there were no aged care facilities available till 1971, when the first formal elderly healthcare and social welfare policies emerged during the Pahlavi period, when Iran moved towards modernisation.
The failure of modernisation and economic issues led to the inadequate quality of nursing homes in Iran. As a result, most seniors fear moving into these facilities. At the least, older Iranian parents expect their children not to abandon them in nursing homes. However, due to increasing urbanisation, population growth, the enormous scale of migration, both women and men having to work because of economic pressure, and reduced family sizes, this expectation is not being met.
The proposed design will offer a domestic atmosphere that nurtures belonging, memory, and identity through nature and tactile elements like courtyards, gardens, water features, Persian architecture’s aesthetic, and by reviving the traditional spatial hierarchy. The design includes these elements to create a sense of comfort and familiarity. This project aims to change the dominant perception of aged care from passive confinement to active living, promoting respect and cultural continuity for seniors.
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