Improving with age? How city design is adapting to older populations
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By Alice Grahame
As cities experience a demographic shift, the need for age-friendly design is becoming ever more critical. From almshouses to driverless cars, the future of urban housing and mobility may just be shaped for and by the elderly.
There is no denying it: like it or not we are all getting older. According to the UN World Population Prospects report, the global population of older people is growing at an unprecedented rate. By 2050, for the first time in human history, there will be more over-65s than children under 15. The number of people over 100 will increase by 1,000%. And as by then 70% of the world’s population will likely live in cities, this will present huge challenges, and cities will need to adapt.
Of course an ageing population is not inherently a bad thing: it reflects improved health and rising life expectancies. However, as we age, our housing, transport and social needs change. By preparing for this, policymakers, town planners and architects can make it ...
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