‘I am here’: a positive contribution to young people in their final phase of life

Maud van Rijn: "My graduation question for my Interior Design course is about how you can develop an innovative solution within the care arena by means of object, space and social action. I was allocated an existing building as a case study. The building is in Amsterdam East, beside the old Sigma factory in the Cruquius neighbourhood.

In my research into care, I discovered that the Netherlands has 146 hospices, but that only one of them offers accommodation for young adults. There is a great deal for children in palliative care, but if you are aged over 18, you fall under regular care, which means you would end up in a regular hospice. With my concept “I am here”, as a designer I seek to make a positive contribution to young people in their final phase of life. If as a young person you decide to die in a hospice in Amsterdam, you are looking for a certain connection with the city. How can I reduce their distance from the city in my design?"