The Hogeweyk: The World’s First ‘Dementia Village’

This insight is written by Craig Newsome, Architect, MMMC

On November 4, 2024, I travelled with my son Aidan Newsome to the Hogeweyk, the world- renowned ‘Dementia Village’ near Amsterdam, to participate in an immersive study course led by Eloy van Hal, one of the 3 founders of the Hogeweyk. This pioneering project is an innovative model for elder care, focusing on creating a normalized living environment for individuals with dementia.

Hogeweyk was conceived in the 1990s with the transformative idea of reshaping traditional elder care. Initially implemented within an older care facility on the current site, the project emphasized operational models of small group living. The early success led the government to sponsor a pilot project in 2008, aligning an architectural solution with its innovative care model. The site’s development was phased strategically, with new sections built alongside the operational existing home that was then removed once residents moved into the new development. A segment of the original building remains below the courtyard, serving as invaluable storage space.

During my time with Eloy, I discussed MMMC’s interest in advancing long-term care in Canada, and I related my personal journey of caring for my mother who lived with dementia for 10 years, a powerful experience that deeply affected our family.

Eloy explained Hogeweyk’s evolution from a pioneering pilot project to becoming the Netherlands’ standard for dementia care. The village primarily serves residents with a dementia care profile, a critical distinction influencing its design compared to Ontario’s many diverse resident profiles in long-term care settings.

After our discussion, we toured the outdoor village and engaged with several residents keen to interact. A woman likened Aidan to her grandson, while another enthusiastically showed us her nails that had just been done. I recalled my own experience and the joy that my mother felt when I took her to get her nails done, something that is not often done within traditional long-term care settings. Eloy commended our natural engagement with the residents, noting that many visitors lack this ease.

The small house is the building block for the village. There are 27 homes with 7 people living in each home for a total of 188 residents. Homes are organized around four lifestyles that are present in Dutch society. The lifestyles are urban, traditional, formal, and cosmopolitan. Within each home, there are two team members; a care worker and a home support worker. This self-organizing team is responsible for daily care, meal planning and preparation, maintaining a cozy atmosphere, day to day shopping, cleaning, washing and budget monitoring. Within the village, there are other specialists to provide support, such as nurse practitioners, specialists in elder care, psychologists, physiotherapists, social coaches, and occupational therapists.

The homes are generally designed in an L-shaped fashion with living, kitchen and dining spaces at the center and private bedrooms at each end. Each home has a front door that opens into the outdoor village. The building is two stories in height. Homes on the second level have a terrace attached to them and homes on the ground level open out to the courtyard.

Within the village, there is a central street, courtyards, alleys and squares replicating a scale that is typical of suburban living in the Netherlands. Organized along the central street, are amenities that are used by residents and in many cases, also the larger community. In the village we encountered features like the central fountain and varied walking surfaces, elements that sparked a discussion about risk management. Eloy explained that such features simulate real-world environments, fostering residents’ cognitive engagement rather than shielding them entirely from risk. We explored the vibrant workshop, replete with tools and crafts catering to diverse interests, and a space dedicated to musical performances, offering a cultural outlet for residents.

Our visit also included observation of how Hogeweyk integrates with the community. A corporate conference had recently utilized the village’s facilities, blending of community interaction within the care environment. Central to Hogeweyk’s model is its village store, pivotal to its food service system. Here, care workers procure weekly provisions, mimicking the shopping routine of everyday life. Aidan raised the possibility of enabling neighbours to shop there, highlighting the potential for further community integration.

As our visit concluded, Eloy discussed the global influence of the Hogeweyk model, extending its reach across the world. A significant change in Dutch law in 2025 prohibiting locked doors in long-term care will further open the dementia village to the community.

Reflecting on our visit, I contemplated MMMC’s design potential in Canada, highlighting opportunities to innovate and simplify the architectural and care model. MMMC projects such as Spruce Lodge Cottages, Stratford (c.1988) anticipated the small house dementia village concept however the owner eventually reverted back to a conventional LTC operational model. MMMC’s current Lambton Meadowview Small House project (2025) and past projects Bruyere Village, Ottawa and Perley Health, Ottawa, that include 10-bed small houses are examples of progress toward smaller resident groupings and enhanced care environments. The Hogeweyk visit was highly inspirational and confirms MMMC’s design philosophy of designing smaller resident-focused living environments.