Designing for the Third Age

Highlights how architecture needs to rise to the challenge of a demographic revolution As people sixty-five and older constitute an ever increasingly proportion of population in most industrialized nations, the design of housing and other built provisions needs to be rethought in order to accommodate this ever-expanding ageing population. How can far-reaching architectural solutions play a key part by creating sustainable cities for the changing profile of the population, reducing models of dependency for care and transport while creating opportunities for recreation, leisure and work? This issue reflects on the population challenges facing Europe, Australia, North America, and Asia, offering innovative responses to these problems on a practical and speculative level. * Addresses a major social issue for architects, designers, and students * Includes contributions from Arup Global Foresight + Innovation; Baronness Greengross, President of the International Longevity Centre-UK; Matthias Hollwich of HWKN; Jerry Maltz of AIANY Design for Aging; David Birbeck of Design for Homes; Edward Denison, Research Associate at University College London; Kathryn Firth of the London Legacy Development Corporation; Richard Mazuch of IBI Nightingale; architect Walter Menteth; author Jayne Merkel; architect, writer and researcher Terri Peters; Anjali Raje, Executive Director of International Longevity Centre-India and architect Radhika Vaidya; Robert Schmidt of the Adaptable Futures research group at Loughborough University; Sally Stewart of Glasgow School of Architecture; Mark Taylor of The University of Newcastle; and Katherine Wilkinson of RMIT * Features architects including Amie Gross Architects, Ariktema, Dattner Architects, HWKN, Deborah Gans/Gans Studio, JJW Architects, Henning Larsen Architects, Michael Maltzan Architecture, nARCHITECTS, Nord Architects, PRP Architects, and Yanmin Zhou

A demographic revolution is underway. Across the world, the number of people aged over 65 is increasing: whereas the over 65s in the US make up 13 per cent of the population, this figure will double to 88.5 million by 2050; China's current ratio of 16 elderly people per 100 workers is set to double by 2025, then double again to 61 by 2050. Urban design, housing and other built provision all require rethinking and redeveloping to accommodate this ever expanding ageing population. The design of our urban centres will also need to be transformed to accommodate a more integrated way of living. Suburbia will need to be reshaped - retrofitting, in order to redefine a new type of interstitial space. Accommodating a range of different age groups is about adapting places and spaces to their needs as much as adapting the city for different cultural groups. Can visionary architectural solutions play a key part in the provision by creating sustainable cities for the changing profile of the population, reducing models of dependency for care and transport, and offering opportunities for recreation, leisure and work? This issue of AD reflects on the forthcoming challenges that are to be posed globally in Europe, Australia, North America and Asia, while seeking out innovative responses to the problems at both practical and speculative levels. It includes international built case studies and competition-winning entries by practitioners and students. * Contributors: Arup Global Foresight + Innovation; David Birbeck of Design for Homes; Edward Denison, Research Associate at University College London; Kathryn Firth of the London Legacy Development Corporation; Baroness Greengross, President of the International Longevity Centre-UK; Matthias Hollwich of HWKN; Jerry Maltz of AIANY Design for Aging; Richard Mazuch of IBI/Nightingale; architect Walter Menteth; author Jayne Merkel; architect, writer and researcher Terri Peters; Anjali Raje, Executive Director of International Longevity Centre-India and architect Radhika Vaidya; Robert Schmidt of the Adaptable Futures research group at Loughborough University; Sally Stewart of the Mackintosh School of Architecture; Mark Taylor of the University of Newcastle; and Katherine Wilkinson of RMIT. * Featured architects: Amie Gross Architects, Arkitema, Dattner Architects, HWKN, Deborah Gans/Gans Studio, Henning Larsen Architects, JJW Architects, Michael Maltzan Architecture, nARCHITECTS, Nord Architects, PRP Architects and Yanmin Zhou.