Designing age-friendly public space in the context of China

Liao, Ying 2024. Designing age-friendly public space in the context of China. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University. Item availability restricted.

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Abstract

The existing literature lacks comprehensive insights into planning and designing age-friendly public spaces in urban areas, especially considering the diverse capabilities and life experiences of older individuals. This study addresses this gap with three key research questions: 1. To what extent does current public space design research and policy accommodate older people’s needs and requirements? 2. How do Chinese older individuals utilise public spaces, and how is this different across their life course and capabilities? 3. How can research findings inform Chinese standards and policies on public space design? The research makes an original contribution by examining five indicators – inclusivity, meaningfulness, comfort, safety and pleasureability – and their crucial spatial and social qualities for building age-friendly public spaces at the neighbourhood scale. The goal is to develop detailed theories on public space and urban design from the perspectives of older people, contributing to the establishment of optimal design standards for ageing-friendly cities. The methodology involves grounded constructivist ontology, interpretivist epistemology, combining ethnographic methods and case study, and is based on the ‘Good Public Space Index (Mehta 2014). This study highlights the expanded social and recreational role of commercial land use and parks in meeting the comprehensive needs of older Chinese individuals by fostering their sense of belonging. It delves into the qualities crucial for older users, such as accessibility, flexibility, variety, user-friendly dimensions, sunshine, lighting, pedestrian-friendly streets, multi-sensory stimuli, diversity of users, and familiarity. The aim is to understand the diverse needs of older people in the Chinese context, emphasising the importance of balanced daily routines, social inclusivity, safety, and meaningful social lives. This research provides new insights into optimal age-friendly park and street design, offering methodological and theoretical contributions for age-friendly urban design and implications for urban design standards in China.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Date Type:	Completion
Status:	Unpublished
Schools:	Geography and Planning (GEOPL)
Subjects:	G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > G Geography (General)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Neighbourhood; Chinese context; Older people’s different capabilities and life experiences; Age-friendly urban design; Age-friendly public space design.
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	17 September 2024
Last Modified:	17 Sep 2024 13:51
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/172124

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