2018_05_25_ARQ_architecture_competition_environment_and_aging.

Carmen Prada Alfaro, a final year student of Degree in Architecture at the University of Navarra, María Fernádez-Vigil Iglesias, a doctoral student at the University of Navarra, and Ana López Orero, a student of in Industrial Engineering at TECNUN, were the winners in the 1st Architecture, Environment and Aging Competition. School of ArchitectureD. student, and Ana López Orero, a student of Master's Degree in Industrial Engineering at TECNUN, were the winners of the 1st Architecture, Environment and Aging Competition.

The goal of the contest was to reward the best works carried out by students of (pre)Degree and postgraduate program of Architecture and Engineering of Navarre entities, which provide innovative solutions from architecture, technology or design of products that contribute to improve the quality of life of the elderly.

The three students explained in their presentations the demographic future and life expectancy in Spain, showing a population pyramid in 2064 in which 4 out of 10 people will be considered "seniors" (adults over 65 years old). In this way, the students explained that they had based their work on the idea of cohousinga system that allows several generations to live together and that has as goal that they can continue to carry out tasks and continue to feel useful.

Carmen Prada presented a project graduate La Aldea, which defines "an intergenerational cooperative" in which she describes a solution of independent dwellings located in a area in the Baztan Valley. "The idea, as the name suggests, stems from the concept of a village, however, instead of designing different dwellings that share common areas, I opted to design a single building that would foster interpersonal relationships and communication," she explained.

Encouraging this subject of relationships was also a point encouraged by project Bizipoza, by Ana López and María Fernández-Vigil, located in the urban center of Pamplona. "This is an intergenerational housing community where all neighbors benefit from a lifestyle based on the chain of favors. The coexistence of the elderly with young people, families, etc. is actively encouraged. This way everyone can meet their needs and offer their services within their community." 

The competition was organized by the Forum of research and teaching: Quality of life in the elderly (Qpea), the entity Innovation and development Assistance (IDEA) and the School of Architecture of the University of Navarra, entity where the act of submission took place. In addition, the award has the financial support of Fundación Caja Navarra and Obra Social "la Caixa", which selected it within its Innov@social 2017 aid program.

The event was attended by: Rafael Sánchez-Ostiz, president of the Qpea Forum; Pilar Suárez, member of the same entity; Óscar Insausti, director of Institutions of Caixa Bank in Navarra; Fernando Urra, director of communication of the Caja Navarra Foundation and the director of the School of Architecture, Miguel A. Alonso del Val.

At the end of the ceremony, the latter thanked the entities present for their support to the projects presented and stressed the importance given by the School to the student body "beyond designing environments, think about the real man, because that is to put in value the deepest sense of architecture".