Age-friendly city design: The case of Sydney

Abstract

In certain parts of Sydney, state government and not-for-profit initiatives are looking ahead to ensure the city caters for its ageing population.

Georgia Vitale compares some different approaches – some mono-generational, others more holistic – to support ageing in place.

The statistics are stark: by 2041, the Greater Sydney region’s population of people over 65 years of age is predicted to reach more than 1.2 million, more than twice as many as there are today.¹

One Sydney local authority proactively preparing for this demographic change is Liverpool City Council, where the number of people aged 65 and over is estimated to increase from 21,600 in 2016 to 68,650 by 2041.²

Clearly, designers have a critical role to play in delivering on agendas to best support ageing in place – which is something that 78 to 81 percent of Australians aged over 55 want to do.⁵

The shared experience of COVID-19 has highlighted the importance of involving the community in co-producing design solutions and the speed with which designers can adapt the built environment to specific needs.

Image: Daniel Tonnet, Grimshaw