Guardel
Guardel is a low-energy warming shelter inspired by the Giant Groundsel’s layered, cold-resilient anatomy. It offers safe, dignified “personal cells,” passive insulation, earth-tube ventilation, and thermal mass to keep unhoused people warm during Blizzard Alley winters—then converts into a small community market in summer. Designed for safety, privacy, and trust while minimizing operating costs; aligned with SDGs 7.2, 9.1, and 11.B.
*Winner, Indigo Design 2025
Objective
Inspired by nature. Design a low-energy, biomimicry-inspired warming shelter that provides safe, dignified “personal cells” during Blizzard Alley winters, then converts into a micro-market in summer—improving warmth, privacy, and trust while minimizing operating costs
Duration
10 Weeks
My Role
Project Manager
Biomimicry Designer
Apprentice of Nature
Designer
Tools
Biomimicry Research
Figma
Adobe Illustrator
CAD
Rhino
Team
Team Giant: Rani Ranaware, Ishita Athalye, Olivia Bushey, Kasa Chan, Herk Zhao
Faculty mentor: Scott Boylston, Susan Krause
Build a safe, dignified, ultra-low-energy warming shelter for Blizzard Alley that people will actually use—despite extreme cold, tight budgets, limited staffing, and complex regulatory constraints—while enabling a summer conversion that genuinely serves the community.
Key Challenges in
Dementia-Care Context
Anxiety escalates fast
Confusion during routines can spike within seconds, creating agitation and safety risks. Interventions must calm in the moment, not after extra steps.
Caregiver bandwidth
Staff juggle de-escalation, documentation, and family updates across rotating shifts. Any aid must reduce workload, not add it.
Challenges
55 Million
people live with dementia, estimates there are nearly 10 million new cases of dementia each year.
Cognitive & sensory variability
Day-to-day changes in memory, attention, vision, hearing, and motor control demand ultra-legible, low-choice, forgiving tools.
Workflow fit
If it doesn’t slot into bathing, medication, and transition routines, it won’t be used. And mixed tech comfort mean adoption must be teachable in minutes.
60~80%
of dementia cases are Alzheimer’s disease
Case by Case
Soothing cues are highly individual (voice, music, imagery). Teams need a simple way to deliver the right cue at the right time.
Content governance & dignity
Personal media requires consent, privacy, and safeguards against triggering content. Need a way to best protect clients dignity while fighting disease.
How might we clam down the client in moments of anxiety by triggering fondest memories, to use as a tool of distraction queuing?
Final Solution
Value Proposition
Memoir’s aim is to store the user’s most valued memories in a place where they can access them and share with others, especially loved ones. The older we get the more memories we collect and the more we tend to forget, but there are memories that linger within our minds for the entirety.
Context
During fieldwork at Baycrest’s Samuel Lunenfeld Mountainview Club (65+, mild–severe dementia), we observed a strong split between short-term and long-term memory: many clients couldn’t recall events from two minutes prior, yet vividly remembered distant life moments—and were eager to share them. Reminiscence reliably eased anxiety and improved mood. This insight shaped Memoir as both a calming cue for the present and a living autobiography that loved ones can revisit and cherish.
Product Impact
The fading of recent memories can cause confusion for people living with dementia and often leads to arguments with family members or staff over many issues. This strains relationships and creates unhappiness for everyone involved.
At Baycrest’s Mountainview program, staff commonly use a technique called distraction cueing—redirecting the conversation to a different, calmer topic. While effective, it can be taxing for caregivers, especially when they lack personal knowledge about a client.
Memoir helps by housing the client’s fondest memories. Caregivers can use these prompts as distraction cues to gently shift attention, easing agitation and reducing caregiver workload.
Memoir
Memoir is a personalized memory-cue tool that pairs familiar images with sound to gently surface comforting moments for people living with dementia.
By sparking recognition, Memoir becomes a natural conversation starter—inviting storytelling with family, peers, and care teams, and supporting day-to-day wellbeing.
For caregivers
Quick, ready-to-use cues enable fast redirection and de-escalation during stressful transitions, helping reduce caregiver workload.
Built to last
Crafted with durable, heirloom-quality materials so it can be cherished,and passed on as a meaningful memento of the primary user.
How we started
Background research
Secondary research
Primary research
Process
During the design
Develop persona
Stakeholders map
Design criteria
Coming to final solution
Prototype
Refine with feedback
Final solution
Research
HOW WE DID IT?
The steps we took for this project