Buildings for Social Services in Rural Areas

Current architectural theory and practice deal mainly with the issue of buildings for social services in the urban environment. Life in the countryside has its differences, so does caring for the people in need outside the city. The aim of the project is to compile professional and study materials providing comprehensive information on current practice in the implementation of buildings for social services in the countryside (housing for the elderly, day hospitals, community centers, low-threshold facilities for children and youth, etc.). First of all, the creation of a clear database of such buildings, sorted according to criteria relevant to architecture and typology. Using case studies, the project will assess whether the current practice meets the specific needs of the rural population. Interviews with users and staff of the analyzed objects will provide a deeper insight into these needs. The database will also make it possible to compare new buildings for selected purposes with the use of reconstructed historic buildings, both in terms of the frequency of individual solutions and to determine whether this difference universally affects the spatial quality of buildings. The project will include an analysis of existing subsidy programs which support the development of buildings for social services in rural environment. The aim of the project is to determine the specifics of buildings for social services in rural areas and to enable the definition of appropriate approaches to the design of such objects. The output of the project will serve not only as a basis for further research on the topic of buildings for social services, but also as a reference base, especially for studio teaching of similar typologies. At the same time, it will supplement the publications of the Ministry of Regional Development and the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs on the issue.