This is a pilot for a new suburban infrastructure to help the UK adapt to support its ageing population. The goal is to provide older people with a sense of purpose, the most important factor for positive ageing, along with good health and meaningful relationships.

The pilot project is sited in Galleywood, a suburb of Colchester in Essex. The current demographic of the village is representative of the predicted UK 2050 average but it lacks a GP surgery.

Many older people only leave their homes to visit the GP. The proposal recognises that these visits provide an important opportunity for establishing social bonds to overcome loneliness. The design of the building, which accommodates a broad spectrum of intergenerational services, is centred around an experiential wait to see a GP. When someone like Ann, an older resident in Galleywood, spends time in the waiting room, she finds herself at the centre of the village. This way, Anne’s wait becomes a purposeful communal experience.