Site Planning and Design for the Elderly: Issues, Guidelines, and Alternatives

Designfortheelderlyisattheforefrontofarchitecturaltopicstoday.Yet,whilemuchhasbeenwrittenaboutthedesignofindoorspaces,littleworkhasbeendoneonplanningoutdoorspacestoaccommodatetheneedsoftheelderly.SitePlanningandDesignfortheElderlyspecificallyaddressesthisissue,drawingfromalargebodyoforiginalresearch,currentknowledge,andtheorytoprovidethebackgroundknowledgeandspecificinformationnecessaryforinformeddecisionmakingthroughoutthesiteplanninganddesignprocess.Morethanjustareferenceonaccessibilitystandards,thisvolumeofferskeyinsightsintotheneedsandconcernsofolderpeopleinthebuiltenvironmentandpresentsguidelinesandalternativesforresponsivesiteplanninganddesign.Organizedinaclearstep-by-stepformatforeasyreference,issuesandspecificguidelinesareprovidedforeachstageoftheplanninganddesignprocesswithinthecontextofhousingforolderpeople.Moreover,architects,landscapearchitects,urbandesigners,developersandstudentswillfindthetopicscoveredapplicabletoothersettingswhereolderpeopleoreapartoftheuserprofile,suchasdowntownrenewal,hospital,andparkplanningprojects.Numerousillustrationsandcasestudieshighlightmajorpointsthroughoutthetext.Thefirstsectionsofthisvolumeprovidevaluablebackgroundinformationonhousingoptionsavailabletoseniorsandoutlinedesignimplicationsofthesocialandphysiologicalchangesassociatedwithadvancingage.Criticaldesignandmanagementissuesarediscussed,objectivesareoutlined,andimplementationstrategiesaredeveloped,includingmethodsforpromotingwayfinding,enhancingpersonalization,andmaximizingopportunitiesforsocialinteraction.Thebodyofthisvolumeprovidesspecificguidelinesforeachstageofdevelopment.Siteplanningareasaddressedincludesiteselection,thelayoutofhousingunits(includingrelationshipsbetweenfacilitiesofferingdifferentlevelsofcare),recreationalamenities,andcirculationsystems.Detailedguidelinesforthelocation,spatialconfiguration,detailing,andamenitiesofmajorsitecomponentsandrecreationalfacilitiesarealsoprovided.Entryways,parking,patios,rooftopdevelopments,andgardeningcentersareamongthespecificareascovered.Abriefoutlineofthemajorissuesaffectinguseofeachsitecomponentisparticularlyusefulformakingdecisionsregardingfacilityprovisionandforprioritizingdevelopmentalternatives.Criticaldetailingandamenityspecificationsarepinpointedandthoroughlydescribed.Pavingmaterials,signage,lighting,sitefurniture,andpedestrianstreetcrossingsareamongthoseelementsexamined.Aconciseoverviewintabularformofthemajorguidelinespresentedthroughoutclosesthispracticalvolume.Itispossibletodesignasitethatwillnotonlyenhancethelivesofelderlyresidents,butwillbecost-effectiveandhighlymarketableaswell.SitePlanningandDesignfortheElderlyprovidespracticalsolutionstotheproblemsofexteriordesignforoneofthefastest-growingsegmentsoftheU.S.populationtoday.