Should I Stay Or Should I Go? Aging in Cities

Considering two major global trends, urbanization and aging, as well as the growing wish of people to grow old in their homes the title above might be rephrased and sound more like this: “Can I Stay or Do I have to leave? And where to?” Certainly not all people want to grow old in their home due to different reasons, yet the number of people who want to and will experience processes of ‘aging in place’ in cities is and will be constantly growing – now and in the future.

(Photo made by the author)

This leaves us with the question whether cities can provide housing environments suitable for the various needs and ideas of their aging citizens? ‘Aging in place’ referring to people remaining in their homes rather than moving to care-facilities, is often associated with a retention of independence and self-determination as well as an increase in well-being of older people – generally it is regarded as a positive phenomenon.

Due to the no longer ignorable relevance and challenging character aging population also puts on housing issues creating age-friendly environments in cities has gained increasing public as well academic attention. This acknowledgement and the developments of ideas for future urban planning signalize important steps on a yet long road ahead.

The spectrum of places to grow old is relatively broad, ranging from institutionalized-care facilities, to residential communities, to retirement cities/villages and so forth. One housing model displaying a somewhat alternative model declaring the importance of not separating the elderly from urban society has recently enjoyed growing affection, namely intergenerational living/houses.

One intergenerational living project currently built in Vienna’s 22nd district called “Generationen Wohnen am Mühlgrund” (“Generation Living on Mühlgrund”) aims at creating a living environment where people of different ages can be engaged in community life. The project started in 2007 with architectural firms competing with different design proposals. “Generation Living on Mühlgrund” is now in its final steps with most of the buildings already finished. Some of the ideas behind this project, initiated from the Green and Social-Democratic parties in Vienna, revolve around the strengthening of intergenerational (social) cohesion, sensitization of people of different ages and lifestyles and integration of older people in urban life.

intergenerational aging in Vienna Source: http://www.oesw.at)

Altogether there are three residential house systems with 149 residential units, a community center, space for gardening as well as a shared kitchen and community area. All of these units are barrier-free accessible and planned and build in order to enable easy adaptations if necessary. The area situated on the northeastern fringe of Vienna is connected to the rest of the city with good infrastructural elements including a metro line, buses and trams.

This innovative project represents an attempt to create a built and social environment offering people of various ages a co-living space as well as opportunities to jointly engage in urban life. I am sure that a follow-up on the project results and realization in every-day-life proves to be very interesting.

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