At whose convenience?

In the UK, more than 80% of people aged between 65 and 74 years old do not meet the recommended level of physical activity. Since physical inactivity is a common, yet preventable risk factor, encouraging an active lifestyle is an important health initiative. Getting outdoors has been shown to be one of the best ways to keep active. I’DGO – Inclusive Design for Getting Outdoors – is a research consortium focused on ways to improve the design of the outdoor environment to enhance older peoples’ quality of life.

The consortium combines the skills and experience of three research centres, OPENspace (Edinburgh College of Art), WISE (Oxford Brookes University) and SURFACE (University of Salford), as well as academic colleagues across five academic institutions in total. It brings together this expertise and that of a range of collaborators from different organisations, agencies and groups. These collaborators range from CLG to Age Concern, who are keen to benefit from the findings of the research.

The first phase of research – I’DGO (2003-2006) – investigated how and why outdoor environments affect older peoples’ quality of life. This identified the aspects of design that can help or hinder older people in using the outdoors and achieving a good quality of life.

The findings for this stage of the I’DGO project are based on surveys of more than 700 people aged 65+ across Britain. The research has identified that older people go out into their local neighbourhood very frequently, regardless of season, and walking is the predominant form of transport. Findings on urban form and design showed that participants’ evaluation of their quality of life was higher in residential than in mixed-use neighbourhoods, with more positive perceptions of safety, air quality and trustworthiness of neighbours. People in these areas also reported better health.

The surveys showed that participants living in low-density areas were much more positive about their quality of life than those in higher-density areas. The urban form features that can be beneficial regardless of location or density include small blocks, greenery, areas of private defensible space on the street, and provision of facilities in residential areas. Key design elements are listed in the box.

The research provides some good pointers as to where to focus our attention. It also highlights that some design professionals still have much to learn about designing inclusively and with sensitivity to the needs and desires of older people.

The initial findings also challenge some current government thinking about high-density, mixed-use developments. The findings do not tell us that these policies are wrong, but they do say that older people value good design and think it must be an essential component in our public realm. The next stage of the project is likely to bring more detailed findings.

I’DGO TOO

The I’DGO TOO project will be the next phase of the research and will focus on particular policies and strategies being promoted by government as part of the sustainability agenda: urban renaissance, integrated communities and inclusive environments, where the potentially important, practical implications for older people’s lives have not fully been explored and tested.

The research investigates how well outdoor environments in certain types of development, built in line with these policies, contribute to older people’s health and wellbeing. The main issues to be addressed are: how residential outdoor space in higher-density “urban renaissance” housing can best be delivered to optimise older residents’ quality of life; whether Home Zones provide a good design solution in the context of an ageing population; and the implications of the design, siting and use of tactile paving for older people.

The voices of older people are a key element in this research. This next phase recognises the diversity and range of abilities, disabilities, aspirations, expectations and needs that are encompassed in the population of people over 65 years of age. The findings will influence policymakers, planners, designers and other professionals working in the urban environment, as well as users of that environment.