Minju Lee

Within the next 25 years, the number of people aged 65 and over in London is expected to double from 5 million to nearly 10 million. Whilst there is a housing shortage for older people in London, there are over 23,000 rooftops in London that could easily be redeveloped into habitable space.

Recent studies have identified that birds who live in the city have a poorer diet and suffer from physical stresses related to bad air quality. House sparrow populations have declined sharply by an estimated 60% since 1994.

The Ageing Aviary is designed as a hybrid prototype for the future and addresses all of these issues. Situated on the top two storeys of the Welbeck Street car park, The Ageing Aviary is a prototype for repurposing roofscapes to address the shortage in senior housing within cities. It will offer thirty-six seniors a co-housing living facility with multiple opportunities for bird interaction and intimacy. These include bird feeding, bird nesting and bird-human bathing. The Ageing Aviary also features a bird recovery rehabilitation facility (an aviary atrium) to allow the senior residents to help with bird healing. The Ageing Aviary will help to grow London’s declining swallow population, whilst simultaneously addressing the issue of loneliness and wellbeing within a supportive community housing environment.