UrbanAge - Housing/Urbanism Synergies for Smart Ageing

Research Pillar: Healthy and Inclusive Places

Project Name/Title/Acronym: UrbanAge

Funding Body: Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government

Project Partners: TrinityHaus, McAuley Place, and Tallaght University Hospital

Project Timeframe: 2017

Key Output(s): Design for Smart Ageing Universal Design Challenge : See here.

Project Description:

The Homes for Smart Ageing Universal Design Challenge (HSAUDC) 2017 was a call for ideas to improve the quality of life of older people in Ireland. Based on a Universal Design approach, the ideas would help create communities and homes purpose-built for lifetime living. By promoting ideas that demonstrate innovation in design, the HSAUDC hoped not only to improve the quality of life for older persons, but ultimately for everyone.

TrinityHaus’ entry, UrbanAge, emphasises the synergy between age-friendly homes, Universal Design and sustainable urbanism by proposing a decision support tool to maximise these synergies and match housing needs, housing models and urban sites. Age-friendly housing has emerged, providing options across the spectrum of support services, ranging from independent living with minimum support, to very sheltered housing with maximum support. Many advocate proximity to services, such as walkability, inter-generationality and participation. At the same time, many Irish urban centres require regeneration, greater social, economic, and demographic diversity, the provision of community spaces and services and more active citizens. UrbanAge believes there is an opportunity to capitalise on the synergies between age-friendly housing and sustainable urbanism, by using Universal Design to locate and design developments to meet resident’ needs, while creating catalysts within the locality. The design solution addresses the confusing array of housing models, deficient age-relevant site information, and a lack of processes delivering integrated solutions.

This project looked at internal air quality therefore addressing some issues ‘Healthy environments’ and also covered issues around heating and energy conservation and thus linked with ‘Sustainable and climate responsive communities’. Through the research and engagement process adopted, the project also supported the 4th TrinityHaus pillar - Co-creation, collaboration and stakeholder engagement

Nationally, this project supports the ‘Health Age Friendly Homes Programme’, the ‘Housing Options for Our Aging Population Policy’ and the ‘Housing for all’ plan. Internationally, it supports various UN Sustainable Development Goals as indicated below:

Contact details – for more information contact Tom Grey, tom.grey@tcd.ie