Ageing and Urban Planning

Ageing and Urban Planning provides a critical analysis of urban planning in the face of demographic change. It emphasises the importance of international approaches and practices to address age-friendly planning. This process requires collaboration between professionals and the community, going beyond mere functionality to connect the micro and macro scales at the city, region, nation, and the global level.

With an interdisciplinary and intersectional approach, the book draws on analytical lenses from architecture, gerontology, geography, sociology, and social and urban planning. It offers a thorough critique of popular narratives surrounding ageing and urban planning while presenting diverse case studies on a variety of spatial scales. The volume also covers the history of urban design for ageing and inclusivity in planning governance, as well as a critical look at the concept of "ageing in place" from the perspective of urban planning. The book offers a comprehensive selection of in-depth photos and figures from urban design studios, planning processes, and real-life scenarios. This collection provides a unique network of inspiring ideas. The book ultimately seeks to supplement the debate and promote a broader reflection about the transformations required in urban planning, given the opportunities and challenges related to a world with increased longevity.

This valuable resource is recommended for advanced students, researchers, and policymakers in the fields of urban planning, age-related disciplines and professions, and social policy.

Matthias Drilling is a social geographer, spatial planner, licensed consultant at the German Sustainable Building Council, and full professor at the Department of Social Work, Zurich University of Applied Sciences in Switzerland.

Pamela Suero is a PhD researcher at the Society and Ageing Research Lab from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB).

Hind Al-Shoubaki is an Architect, urban planner, and Research Associate at the Institute for Social Planning, Organisational Change, and Urban Development at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland.

Fabian Neuhaus is an Associate Professor at the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape at the University of Calgary in Canada.