All too often, the people who use environments day-to-day are left out of the design process. For older people, this can feel particularly alienating.
In our research, we’ve brought together early career designers and older participants to envision places, from homes to public spaces, which are inclusive, enabling and inspirational.
In our latest publication, published in May 2017, we’re sharing what we’ve found from four years of co-design activities in a beautifully illustrated, 32-page guide.
It’s called Mobility. Mood. Place. Intergenerational co-design for age-friendly places.
The front and back covers of our new publication
Structured around the 13 key things we have uncovered through the co-design process about older people’s needs and preferences for age-friendly environments, the publication features a range of annotated designs for the cities of London, Manchester and Copenhagen, and the Scottish islands of Orkney, interspersed with quotes from participants.
Led by a team whose expertise spans teaching, research and practice in the fields of architecture and landscape architecture, the designs have been produced by a total of 84 students at Edinburgh College of Art, in collaboration with local older people.
A double-page spread from the publication
Many of the things older people have told us in the course of our research are surprising; challenging widespread assumptions about ageing and place.
We hope that, by sharing them with you, we can encourage you to think about your own practice through an age-friendly lens, and about the benefits of meaningful collaboration with end users.
A double-page spread from the publication
The foreword for the publication is by Diarmaid Lawlor, Director of Place at Architecture and Design Scotland and MMP Advisory Group member, who says:
“The experience of older people is exacerbated by some basic design problems. Mobility, Mood and Place tackles these challenges head on. Smarter places are about smarter choices for all generations, enabled by smarter design. Mobility, Mood and Place provides us with a routemap on the how”.
View and download a digital version of our intergenerational co-design publication
Please contact us if you would like a printed copy.
