Aging in Urbanity

As the number of Americans over the age of fifty continues to rise, there are growing concerns over the quality of health care facilities and their availability and affordability. There are those who prefer the idea of growing older in a sprawling, suburban landscape, surrounded by nature, and history has proven this to be a normative response to retirement living. Yet, there could be other ways of introducing this type of living in a more accessible, lively and urban environment. There are many different options of living for younger generations and families, so the potential for providing similar options for the aging population is a practical solution. Instead of separating the elderly population in their own cloister, invovling them in the community by location and opportunity, can provide a healthy interaction with people of varying social and ethnic demographics. Positioning them in a more urban and exciting setting can potentially influence a more positive and hopeful outlook on their own futures. History has, unfortunately, placed the aging population apart from the hub of community interaction, and subsequently segregated their ability to continue to be involved and influential upon society. My thesis will explore the expansion of the retirement community into the urban fabric, and the physical, mental and societal implications that the design could positively accentuate.

Final Thesis