SEVILLE / 8 February 2026
The Centro de Estudios Andaluces Foundation (CENTRA) has featured our work on spatial design and cognitive health in an extensive feature and an interview on its official channel, CENTRA Podcasts, dedicating Episode 17 to it: ‘Architecture: A Key Tool to Improve the Lives of Alzheimer’s Patients’.
In this episode, our researchers reflect on how the design of everyday environments directly impacts orientation, emotional well-being, and autonomy for people living with dementia, as well as the quality of life of their carers and families.
Beyond Physical Barriers: The Challenge of Cognitive Accessibility
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The control and quality of natural and artificial lighting
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The scale and proportion of rooms
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Wayfinding and orientation
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Visual connections with the outdoors
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Sensory stimulation
From Doctoral Thesis to Real-World Impact: Pioneering Tools
The interview highlights the work stemming from the research awarded at the CENTRA Foundation Doctoral Thesis Awards, authored by the architect and researcher Pablo Valero Flores and carried out within the Healthy Architecture & City (HAC) research group at the University of Seville.
Among the key contributions discussed during the podcast, the following stand out:
- Design criteria and guidelines: Parameters tested through fieldwork in collaboration with associations of families and people with Alzheimer’s to mitigate disorientation.
- Virtual reality housing prototype: An immersive platform that allows progressive spatial adaptations to be simulated according to the stage of the patient’s condition, assisting decision-making for public bodies, architects, and families.
Architecture for Social Impact
Beyond the technical aspects, the episode prompts a broader reflection: designing spaces for people with Alzheimer’s is not a marginal issue, but a collective responsibility in the face of an ageing society.
The episode puts the social dimension of the issue into context. An ageing population and the projected rise in dementia cases make adapting homes, care homes, and urban environments an urgent challenge. Through trials conducted alongside patient associations, the research team has identified concrete design parameters that help reduce disorientation and improve safety across the different stages of the condition.
Within this framework, architecture emerges as a discipline capable of actively contributing to care, dignity, and inclusion, broadening the debate on how we want to build our homes and cities for the future.
You can listen to our interview at:
EPISODE 17
FUTHER INFORMATION:
CENTRA Foundation: Architecture: A Key Tool to Improve the Lives of Alzheimer’s Patients