DESIGN CRITERIA FOR SENIOR-FRIENDLY HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS

This publication is the result of the research project "Alternative proposal of housing development models for the elderly. The case of Aguascalientes". The research project corresponds to the line of research of gerontological urbanism, that is, the study of old age from the discipline of urbanism, and is inscribed in the field of foresight and planning. One of the main challenges facing our cities will be to adapt their structures to the new demographic profile. And from this arises the importance of this study: to propose new models of housing developments that meet the needs of the new profile of the elderly.
The general objective of the project was to propose models of housing developments friendly to the elderly considering three scales: housing level, housing development level, and immediate environment level. The working hypothesis was formulated as follows: As a consequence of demographic aging, the magnitude and the new profile of the elderly in Aguascalientes, new models of housing development will be demanded that address both the aspects of housing and its environment. The main research techniques used were: bibliographic, hemerographic, cartographic and documentary systematization; controlled direct observation; survey; participatory urban design workshops, expert workshop and key stakeholders workshop.
Regarding the present publication, it comprises two chapters that correspond to the three scales of analysis of the models of housing developments friendly to the elderly: Chapter one refers to the housing level and chapter two to the housing development level and the immediate environment. At the housing level, the habitability indicators for the housing of the elderly considered the following spaces: garage, bathroom, bedroom, accesses, living room, dining room and kitchen. At the housing development level, the following spaces were considered: collector streets, local roads, daily, neighborhood and neighborhood gardens. Likewise, specific recommendations are made regarding the subdivision of these housing developments. At the immediate environment level, the elements of design to achieve the desired environment and the necessary equipment and structure were considered.
Finally, it should be noted that this publication will allow, on the one hand, to facilitate the transfer of results to users in the public, social and private sectors and, on the other hand, to constitute an important didactic support in teaching activities related to the discipline of Urbanism.