Speaker
Description
The accessibility and usability of outdoor spaces are essential for fostering mobility, social interactions, and well-being among older adults. However, many of these spaces are not truly public but are instead semi-public or privately managed, shaped by spatial hierarchies, social norms, and governance structures. This study examines how older adults navigate, appropriate, and contest access to semi-public outdoor spaces in rapidly urbanizing environments, using Shenzhen, China, as a case study. By investigating everyday spatial practices across different residential settings, the research provides insights into spatial justice, informal urbanism, and community identity in aging-friendly urban environments.
The study is based on informal interviews and observational fieldwork conducted in three contrasting residential settings: an urban village, an old neighborhood, and a newly developed high-rise community. These areas differ in spatial design, governance models, and resident demographics, offering a comparative perspective on how access to outdoor environments is negotiated.
Findings reveal that access to and control over outdoor spaces are shaped by social status, tenure, and local governance systems rather than by formal planning principles. In urban villages, longstanding residents enjoy access to designated gathering spaces that reinforce strong social networks. However, migrant older adults are often excluded from these facilities, leading them to seek alternative spaces in commercial areas, informal seating spots, or underutilized corners of the neighborhood. Their presence in these areas can sometimes create tensions with shop owners, security personnel, or other user groups who perceive them as outsiders. In contrast, high-rise communities offer well-maintained outdoor environments, yet these spaces are heavily regulated by property management companies, restricting spontaneous social interactions and limiting opportunities for community-building. The old neighborhoods present a more balanced scenario, with accessible open spaces and a strong sense of place attachment. However, ongoing redevelopment, privatization of previously communal areas, and infrastructure decay threaten the long-term accessibility of these spaces.
This study underscores the disconnect between top-down planning strategies and the actual ways older adults engage with outdoor spaces. While policies often emphasize accessibility and infrastructure improvements, they overlook the lived realities of older residents, who rely on informal strategies to claim and adapt space. A more participatory planning approach is needed—one that integrates local knowledge and lived experiences to create environments that are not only physically accessible but also socially inclusive.
The findings highlight the importance of flexible spatial governance that accounts for informal spatial practices. Instead of designing static, one-size-fits-all spaces, planners and policymakers should recognize the agency of older adults in shaping their surroundings. Supporting decentralized governance models, negotiated access agreements, and intergenerational space-sharing strategies can help mitigate conflicts and foster more inclusive environments. Encouraging collaboration between residents, planners, and property managers can also facilitate adaptive public space design that accommodates a wider range of users.
By centering the contested nature of semi-public outdoor spaces, this study challenges dominant planning paradigms that assume public space is universally accessible. It advocates for a context-sensitive, bottom-up approach that recognizes the fluidity of space, power dynamics in access, and the social production of place. These insights contribute to broader discussions on spatial justice, participatory urbanism, and the governance of aging-friendly environments in rapidly urbanizing cities.
| Keywords | Public space; bottom-up urbanism ;aging in place ; participatory planning |
|---|---|
| Best Congress Paper Award | Yes |
