IN-PERSON Lisbon Livable Cities. Section A

Abstract

This paper will present the ethnographic research method. This method was implemented during the case study conducted at a new built almshouse in London. The almhouse is managed by a charity with a long history of supporting the local community by providing affordable housing for older people. It consists of 57 apartments and accommodates 65 residents, each of whom live independently. The researcher comes from an interior design perspective, interested in exploring the relationship between the physical environment of contemporary almshouses in the UK and how these spaces can better support ageing-in-place and independent living for their inhabitants. Data was collected over ten nights with the researcher living alongside residents and visiting 21 resident apartments. The ethnographic approach was further supported by conducting the following practices: semi-structured interviews; observation; note-taking; measured surveys of rooms and furniture; photographic surveys; and ethnographic sketching. One of the main challenges in this case study was managing the different practices simultaneously. The ethnographic method provides a strong framework for achieving significant understanding of what the almhouse residents’ apartments looked like and how they interacted with the space. and will be applicable for further case studies in other almshouses. This framework would also benefit other researchers focusing on homes and interior design.