As part of the collaboration between Bucky Lab at TU Delft and Woonzorg Nederland, students explored how design can improve everyday life in residential care facilities. Rather than focusing on technology alone, this fourth project demonstrates how architecture itself can become a subtle guide for people living with dementia.
Guiding Without Signs
People with dementia often experience uncertainty when navigating long, repetitive corridors. Traditional wayfinding relies on signs and labels, but these can easily become overwhelming or confusing. Skyveil proposes a different approach: using architecture itself as a navigation tool.
The system transforms the ceiling into a soft spatial guide through carefully designed changes in geometry and color. Inspired by natural patterns, the modular elements create distinct identities for different floors while maintaining a calm and welcoming atmosphere. Residents intuitively recognize where they are, helping them move through the building with greater confidence and comfort.
Designed for Care Environments
Beyond its positive effect on residents, Skyveil was developed with housing providers in mind. The modular system is easy to manufacture, adaptable to different corridor layouts, and requires minimal maintenance. Ceiling- and wall-mounted configurations allow the concept to be integrated into both new buildings and renovation projects.
The result is a design that combines orientation, atmosphere, and practicality—demonstrating how thoughtful architectural interventions can contribute to dignity, independence, and well-being in everyday life.
This project once again illustrates how Bucky Lab students translate research into realistic, buildable solutions for real societal challenges.
Students: Pranav Jadhav, Zhangze Shao, Zita Molnar
Supervisors: Dr.-Ing. Marcel Bilow, Ir. Nadia Remmerswaal
Partner: Woonzorg Nederland
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