SPATIAL HARMONIZATION THROUGH BIOPHILIC TRANSITIONAL SPACES MULTI-STAGE SENIOR HOUSING ANALYSIS STUDY

Abstract

In Indonesia, developing senior housing often takes multiple years because of financial
constraints and the lack of a comprehensive plan. While this strategy allows for a stepwise
improvement in the available infrastructure, it may lead to disjointed spatial
configurations and uneven quality in the surrounding environment. In many cases, the
absence of adequate transitional spaces has been shown to result in limited accessibility,
reduced social interaction among senior residents, and weak visual and physical
connections to the outside space. This study explores the role of biophilic-based
transitional spaces in supporting spatial integration and improving the environmental
quality of gradually developed senior housing. A case study was conducted at the Wisma
Lansia Harapan Asri in Semarang. Qualitative spatial analysis was conducted through
phenomenological observation to capture environmental experience. Transitional areas
play an instrumental role in providing linkages between residential blocks, circulation
zones, and external environments. Designing micro gardens, corridor recesses, courtyard
social gardens, and gardens as buffers reinforce spatial continuity while balancing
enclosure and social permeability. Such evidence has helped evaluate and refine spatial
design principles in multiple housing types, including pavilions and class-setting units,
aimed at improving the ambience, comfort and psychosocial health of senior residents.
Design recommendations for pavilion and class-setting units refine these principles,
offering flexible, non-technical criteria for architects to improve ambience comfort and
psychosocial health. By addressing user experiences and environmental quality, biophilic
transitional spaces enable stepwise infrastructure improvements without compromising
livability, providing a model for adaptable senior housing designs.