▴ First facility by Hana The Next Life Care Co., Ltd.… Completion scheduled for August 2027
▴ A park-type community care space pursuing “a dignified life like home” in the era of a super-aged society
▴ Establishment of a “Zero-Hazard Zone” with enhanced psychological visibility… fall prevention and barrier-free design

 

The groundbreaking ceremony for the “Hana The Next Life Care Senior Living Facility,” designed by Gansam, was held on March 27 at the project site located at 1044-1 and 1044-2, Jichuk-dong, Deogyang-gu, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do. This project marks the first senior living facility developed by Hana The Next Life Care Co. Ltd., a subsidiary of Hana Life.

 

 

The Shift in Senior Care Spaces in a Super-Aged Society

According to Statistics Korea, the population aged 65 and over exceeded 10.51 million as of the end of 2025, accounting for more than 20.3% of the total population, officially entering a super-aged society. The number of long-term care beneficiaries is also rapidly increasing, with approximately 1.07 million certified recipients as of 2024, according to the National Health Insurance Service. As demand grows, expectations for the quality of care services are also rising. While traditional senior care facilities have focused on medical efficiency, there is now a paradigm shift toward ensuring psychological stability, dignity, and autonomy in daily life. The “Hana The Next Life Care Senior Living Facility” is gaining attention as a spatial realization of this transformation.

 

 

Expansion of Public Senior Care Experience into a Premium Urban Facility

Hana Life launched its senior-focused brand “HANA THE NEXT” in 2024, providing integrated financial and non-financial life care solutions for the senior generation. Since 2009, Hana Financial Group has accumulated operational experience in senior care through “Hana Care Center,” operated by the Hana Financial Foundation. This project in Jichuk-dong expands that expertise into a premium urban senior living facility. The development consists of two basement levels and seven above-ground floors, with a total floor area of 8,476.18㎡, and is scheduled for completion in August 2027.

 

A Park-Type Community Care Space Where Dignity and Daily Life Flow

Gansam focused on embodying two core values in the design: “complete independence” and “safe connectivity.” The key design principles are ▲Individualized dignity ▲Home-like comfort ▲Community vitality, aiming to ensure residents’ autonomy in choosing and enjoying their daily routines. Barrier-free design and fall prevention were prioritized to create an environment where residents can move freely and build relationships without excessive intervention from caregivers.

The core of the facility is the “Integrated Social Hub.” Moving beyond the static living room concept of traditional care facilities, it is designed as an open community space where various activities such as art, music, and cooking intersect. This hub fosters natural interaction and emotional bonds among residents, serving as a dynamic anchor of daily life.

 

Circulation spaces are also reimagined as experiential paths that stimulate memory and encourage spontaneous encounters. Leveraging views of Bukhansan Mountain, the design incorporates scenic rest areas. Additionally, small-scale “Pocket Therapy Spaces” are distributed throughout the building, offering activities such as foot baths, hobbies, and sensory stimulation to enhance psychological comfort and vitality. 

 

Safety design is seamlessly integrated with spatial philosophy. Open care stations are placed on every floor, allowing caregivers to visually monitor living and activity areas centered around the Integrated Social Hub. This ensures both resident autonomy and immediate response capability through a barrier-free control system in case of emergencies. Gansam has designed a total of 25 senior care facilities, continuously building expertise in this field. This project reflects that accumulated experience, creating a balanced environment where dignity in daily life and care stability coexist.

 

Heo Yuri, Senior Architect at Gansam, who led the design, stated:

“I constantly asked myself what kind of senior living space I would want to stay in someday. The answer became clear: a space where one can lead daily life according to one’s own will. By implementing ‘complete independence’ and ‘safe connectivity’ through spatial strategies, we aimed to create not a passive facility, but a home where dignity flows and residents become the protagonists of their own lives.”

 

 

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[Kukto Ilbo] Gansam-designed “Hana The Next Life Care Senior Living Facility” Breaks Ground… A Park-Type Community Care Space to Be Created