Design case study · St Andrew's Nursing Home, Taman Jurong
Journey Through Time: Reimagining Memory Lane for Seniors
Turning an ordinary nursing home corridor into a streetscape inspired by 1960s–1970s Singapore, designed to invite reminiscence, conversation, sensory exploration and meaningful participation.
St Andrew’s Nursing Home (Taman Jurong) · Project photography from Little Changemakers
The challenge
Can a corridor become more than a passageway?
At St Andrew’s Nursing Home, an activity room already evoked the familiarity of a Singapore HDB void deck, complete with a mamak shop and barber. The opportunity was to extend that everyday sense of place into the adjoining corridor that links the entrance, activity room and outdoor garden.
The objective was not simply to make the environment more attractive. It was to transform a transitional space into something residents could notice, touch, explore and engage with in ways that felt familiar and meaningful.
How might we transform a nursing home corridor into a familiar, inclusive place that sparks memories, invites interaction and encourages gentle movement?
Our design approach
A familiar Singapore, designed for engagement.
Inspired by archival photographs and familiar neighbourhoods such as Katong, Arab Street, Little India and Chinatown, the concept brings together the visual language of Singapore’s multicultural streets with the principles of sensory, social and physical participation.
Recognisable heritage
Shophouse-inspired settings, familiar objects and iconic places offer natural starting points for conversation and personal stories.
More than visual decoration
Tactile objects, sorting activities, take-back crafts and printable prompts make the streetscape something residents can actively use.
Everyday opportunities to connect
Simple movement prompts, sensory exploration and shared activities offer multiple ways to engage at a resident’s own pace.
The streetscape
Six destinations. Many ways to participate.
Each themed setting pairs nostalgia with a simple activity, so memories can become conversations, creative work or shared moments.
Katong
Peranakan Kuih Shop
Traditional kuih moulds, lifelike kuih replicas and printable prompts that draw on familiar food traditions.
Arab Street
Aromatics Shop
Coloured bottles of aromatic oils to sort and explore, alongside activities about perfume ingredients.
Everyday Singapore
Post Office
Old postbox designs, memories of sending letters and opportunities to create postcards.
Music & memories
Retro Music Store
Records, cassettes and CDs recall changing ways of listening to music through the decades.
Cultural landmark
Majestic Theatre
Chinese opera props, performance photographs and themed domino activities encourage recognition and social play.
Little India
Flower Shop
Colourful tactile flowers, simple puzzles and sorting activities engage the senses and fine-motor skills.
Along the way: Small exercise prompts invite residents to pause for gentle movement as they travel along Memory Lane.
Project photographs
From an everyday corridor to a space for interaction.
Selected photographs already published in Little Changemakers’ St Andrew’s Nursing Home gallery. These images document the wider space-transformation work at the site.
See the wider Joyful Spaces portfolio for more photographs of senior-care environments.
Why the details matter
Designed for people, not simply to decorate walls.
The project draws on an approach developed through museum education, where exhibitions become more meaningful when visitors can engage emotionally, socially and physically.
For residents, a record might evoke a favourite song. A kuih mould might invite a story about cooking. Flowers, postcards and theatre imagery offer other pathways for connection. The intent is to create gentle invitations to participate, without assuming that every person will respond in the same way.
This is the principle behind Little Changemakers’ design consulting: connect cultural insight, audience needs and practical activity design to turn ordinary places into more purposeful experiences.
Project context
A collaborative transformation.
The corridor concept built on the nursing home’s existing HDB void-deck-themed activity room and its vision for a more engaging environment. The Memory Lane concept and interactive activity ideas were developed by Little Changemakers’ founder in collaboration with St Andrew’s Nursing Home.
St Andrew’s Nursing Home (Taman Jurong)
Cherry Thian, Little Changemakers
Collective Designs
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