Developing a design tool for age-friendly gated communities in China: Integrating knowledge bases to improve lived experiences for older women

Chen, Yijun, Wulff, Federico ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7469-1954, Clark, Sam ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4597-5162, Gao, Aohan, Fang, Shenglei and Huang, Junjie 2026. Developing a design tool for age-friendly gated communities in China: Integrating knowledge bases to improve lived experiences for older women. Ting, David S.-K. and Stagner, Jacqueline A., eds. Age-Friendly Engineering for the Built Environment, Woodhead Publishing Series in Civil and Structural Engineering, Woodhead Publishing, pp. 159-198. (10.1016/b978-0-443-43874-5.00007-0)

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Abstract

Urban China confronts an acute demographic crisis, defined by rapid aging, the erosion of traditional family-based care, and the implementation of a national home and community-based services policy. This places immense pressure on the dominant residential typology, the gated community. The challenge is compounded by entrenched gender imbalances, which impose a “double burden” of age-related vulnerability and caregiving responsibilities on older women. Current architectural practice often fails to address these realities, perpetuating spatial inequality. This chapter details the development of a multiscalar framework for age-friendly retrofitting. The methodology integrated three knowledge types: (1) explicit knowledge from systematic scoping reviews defining key indoor and outdoor well-being domains; (2) empirical analysis of spatial dysfunction in a typical gated community (Jinzhou Garden) and qualitative studies uncovering designers’ “gender-blind” biases; and (3) lived experience captured through codesign case studies (Older Women’s Cohousing, London) and user interviews in Shenzhen. The synthesis of this evidence revealed a systemic disconnect between design theory, professional practice, and user needs. In response, we developed the Design Support Toolkit Prototype (DSTP). The DSTP is an integrated knowledge system structured by spatial scale (Room, Community, Street), well-being domains, and specific Evaluation Indicators. This prototype links a 3D parametric model (Rhino) to an evidence database via a tagging system, translating complex research into actionable, gender-sensitive design recommendations. The DSTP provides a foundational methodology for evidence-based, human-centered engineering. We conclude by exploring the future integration of artificial intelligence, using generative models for layout optimization and large language models to enhance participatory codesign, charting a path toward a more inclusive and intelligent built environment.

Item Type:	Book Section
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Schools > Architecture
Publisher:	Woodhead Publishing
ISBN:	9780443438745
Last Modified:	18 Aug 2026 09:45
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/188733

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