Ambiente costruito per una ageing society. Building environment for an ageing society

Ageing populations represent a challenge which involves the social dimension of Architecture. The increase of longevity represents an achievement but, on the other side, it requires an assessment of its social and economic sustainability. This must involve not only health, social assistance and welfare policies but also include as strategic elements, the re-thinking of settlement systems and housing offer, essential components to face social discomfort. Within the above described scenario, the PRACTICE research (Planning for Rethought Ageing Cities Through Innovative Cellular Environments) deals with outlining the interactions between common/private spaces and the quality of life of the elderly, with the aim of singling out strategies for an urban age-friendly environment.It is a “Bilateral Project of Great Relevance” approved within the Executive Programme for Scientific and Technological Cooperation between Italy and Sweden. The background is mainly represented by the achievements of the Position Paper “Moving forward an Ageing Society: bridging the distances” which singles out in the overcoming of physical distances between dwelling, work and service places, and the immaterial ones between different generations, social statuses, economic and social conditions, the key strategy to mitigate the negative effect of population ageing and turn it into opportunities for the community as a whole.