Designing for an ageing population is traditionally synonymous with assisted living and retirement communities, models of isolation and dependency. The economic and financial implications aside, these environments have often perpetuated an array of particularly ominous conditions.
Bijl means ‘axe’ in Dutch, a tool used to cut, shape and create, metaphorically fitting the practice of architecture perfectly. Founder Melonie Bayl-Smith speaks to Penny Craswell for MEZZANINE, elaborating on Bijl Architecture's distinctive, award-winning approach.