Idea
So here’s an idea I’ve been pondering for a long time, at least since college. I’ve called it my stretch venture; the kind of project that I’d begin to seriously pursue in the second half of my life when I am wiser, wealthier, and better connected. Because it’s the sort of idea that would indeed be an ambitious undertaking requiring lots of smarts, money, and people from a wide range of disciplines.
I’m tentatively calling this idea ThreeHouse.
- ThreeHouse is a place – a unique physical multi-functional residential facility.
- ThreeHouse is a confluence – a deliberate intersection for human and humane interactions.
- ThreeHouse is an improvement – a redefining of at least three unnecessarily silo’d industries.
So what exactly is it? Well, ThreeHouse is one-part seniors home, one-part daycare/kindergarten, and one-part animal shelter. It’s a specially-designed building and yard that mixes elders, young children, and animals together in a way that improves the well-being and life enjoyment of all three groups.
Value
The seniors would gain liveliness from interacting with youth and gentle animals. Rather than feeling bored and neglected, they would feel energized, surprised, playful, and useful.
The kids would gain valuable exposure to old people and to creatures. It would teach them respect and form an appreciation for wisdom, vulnerabilities, and empathy.
The animals would gain love and attention from the seniors and children. Rather than being caged and isolated, they would get exercise and training on how to behave around people.
It’d be a win-win-win. What’s more is that it also benefits the seniors’ kids and the kids’ parents because this blending improves everybody’s quality of life. Happier, healthier family members.
Practicalities
Obviously, the three worlds wouldn’t mix 24/7. The building would need to be designed to facilitate the various activities that each group needs separately. And it would need unique common space that addressed the various accessibility, safety, and security requirements of each type of resident.
Likewise, the staff would need to be more generalist in nature, with hybrid skills covering geriatrics, pediatrics, veterinary medicine, activity planning, early childhood development, and animal training, among other areas (eg. food prep, janitorial).
There would be turn-over through graduation, expiration, and adoption, so this cycle of life would need to be built into both ThreeHouse’s operations and it’s residents’ expectations when they join. Kids grow up, animals can be unpredictable, people die.
Possibilities
I think ThreeHouse would be a very exciting project – architecturally, organizationally, and socially, to name just a few – and it would be incredibly satisfying to build something so innovative and life-enriching.
Aspects of this concept (eg. intergenerational learning, pet therapy) have proven successful elsewhere but it is surprisingly still uncommon, I suspect due to regulatory inertia and a complacent stasis within each industry’s respective walls.
By finally blogging about this idea I’m hoping to better organize my thoughts on it and to perhaps even encounter other like-minded souls (or investors!) interested in joining me in dreaming and somehow realizing this big idea.
