Over the years, Mallard Productions have formed a strong, professional relationship with the University of Stirling, producing a wide variety of videos for the institution. Based at the University of Stirling, Dementia Services Development Centre (DSDC) is an international centre for knowledge and research exchange devoted to improving the lives of people with dementia.
We were invited to film at Glendale Cottage, Stirlingshire. Also known as the Harmless House, the dwelling strives itself on its inclusivity and adaptivity for old age with a focus on dementia, to reflect how individuals live and work. The aim of the project was to integrate the research and assistance used within care-homes and hospitals, and apply this within a residential and non-institutional setting. The architects, Ann Nisbett and Jessica Noel-Smith, implemented this goal within the entirety of the design, including the layout, the materials used within the build, the tonal palette, the sanitaryware and ironmongery specification.
We produced three videos of Glendale Cottage, all of which included interviews with the project’s architects and the homeowner, drone footage of the landscape surrounding the house, and shots of the architecture within the house. One video was an in depth architectural video of the house, whilst the other two were general films.
The interviews included within the video highlighted how the house came to be, as its owner Kathy Li had to decide the best way to live in the future as her and her husband got older. Reflecting on her experience with family members with dementia, she understands the benefits of the adaptivity of the house and the importance of smart decisions for the future. People with dementia can live under a high level of stress, therefore it is vital that their domestic environment can put them at ease.
The house has won numerous architecture awards, and was recognised by the University of Stirling’s DSDC, and was awarded Gold through their EADDAT assessment tool. It was great to visit Glendale Cottage and see the extensive age inclusive and dementia friendly initiatives that have been implemented within the house.
Client University of Stirling
Date March 2024
File under Interviews and Talking Heads
