Respond’s Brain Health Village (BHV), located at Rathcoran in Baltinglass, Co. Wicklow, is Ireland’s first housing-based pilot focused on promoting brain health through housing, placemaking and community development. Delivered in partnership with the Global Brain Health Institute (GBHI), BHV demonstrates how built environment and social infrastructure can be strategically aligned to protect cognitive health and improve well-being across the life course.
The BHV concept recognises that brain health is influenced not only by genetics and ageing but also by modifiable environmental and social factors. The pilot development includes 56 homes: 21 one-bedroom, 25 two-bedroom, and 10 three-bedroom units. The diverse tenant mix includes individuals, families, older people, and resettled refugees from Iraq and Syria. The pilot has introduced workshops, surveys, and co-designed initiatives with tenants to develop a Brain Health Action Plan embedded in everyday life. It is a values-led, community-driven, and internationally informed project that offers a replicable model for social landlords.