Sustainable communities in the context of the ageing society. Premises for architecture

According to the data provided by ONU, currently we are witnessing a significant increase in the percentage of the elderly people worldwide. If in 2000 worldwide, the elderly population was representing about 10%, in 2008 the percentage increases up to 15%. It is estimated that by 2050 this proportion will reach 25%. In Europe, it is estimated that the percentage of the people aged over 60 will double, from 20% in 2000 to 37% in 2050. To the ageing trend of the population joines a second definitory phenomenon for the XXI century, the urbanization. The increase of life expectancy and the urbanization are reference points for the development of the society in the past century.

The population and the society ageing constitute a paradigm shift for architecture. The concept of Sustainable Community is redefined in this context as premise for the intented architectural design, by appeal to the concept of Age Friendly Community. Age Friendly Community represents a new concept that integrates other existing concepts: Smart Growth, Healthy Communities, New Urbanism, Universal Design, Child Friendly Community, LEED ND, WHO Safe Community, Heat Resilient Communities, Active Living Communities. The sustainable features of the community, important for architecture in the context of the challenges posed by the ageing of the society on multiple planes, will be detailed.

The architecture of the future is an architecture capable to generate Age Friendly Sustainable Communities. One can speak about the architecture of the past century as of an intergenerational sustainable architecture.