South Lynn Millennium Village in Kings Lynn, © Phil
Jones
New and ongoing projects
I’DGO TOO: a new set of projects
The I’DGO consortium was launched in 2004 to investigate how outdoor environments affect older people’s quality of life and to identify what aspects of design help or hinder older people in using the outdoors.
The new set of projects - under the umbrella title of I’DGO TOO - focus on particular policies and strategies currently being promoted by government as part of the sustainability agenda - urban renaissance, integrated communities and inclusive environments - where the potentially important, practical implications for older people’s lives have not fully been explored and tested.
The project involves work at three different levels of detail, to research:
- the implications of high-density urban housing on residential outdoor space, such as gardens and balconies
- pedestrian-friendly and shared space approaches (such as Home Zones) in residential street environments
- the practical consequences of using tactile paving (designed to assist people with visual impairment) for older people in the urban environment.
December 2011: Work on I’DGO TOO is currently ongoing. Although some data collection and analysis is still taking place, most of the research has been done and preliminary findings are now coming in. These have been reviewed internally, by international experts (February, 2011) and by our partners (April, 2011). The findings will be launched in 2012 in celebration of the European Year for Active Ageing. In the meantime, details of how we have conducted the research and what, specifically, we are looking at are documented in full in our publications and you can contact us for an update at any time.
Residential outdoor space
Research on residential outdoor space by the WISE (Wellbeing in Sustainable Environments) research unit at the University of Warwick is exploring these questions:
a. What is lost and gained in higher density, urban renaissance developments, in terms of residential outdoor space and the quality of life of older residents?
b. How, and to what extent, do different types of residential outdoor spaces (private gardens, shared gardens, balconies, courtyards etc.) contribute to older people’s wellbeing?
c. How best can different types of residential outdoor space be designed in higher density, urban renaissance developments to deliver maximum benefits to older people?
To read about our methods and progress, see the Publications page.
Pedestrian-friendly and shared space schemes
Research on pedestrian-friendly and shared space approaches (such as Home Zones) in residential street environments is being led by OPENspace research centre at Edinburgh College of Art (in collaboration with the Universities of Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt). The research asks the following questions:
a. How does implementation of shared space projects such as Home Zones affect older people’s access outdoors and quality of life?
b. Does implementation of such schemes result in environments where older people:
- go outside more often?
- spend more time outside in the local environment?
- are more physically active?
- have better social networks?
- have a better quality of life?
c. Are Home Zones a good solution for an ageing population? What design recommendations for residential street environments will best support older people’s quality of life?
To read about our methods and progress, see the Publications page.
Tactile paving and older people’s experience
Research on the practical consequences for older people of using tactile paving in the urban environment is by SURFACE Inclusive Design Research Centre and the Centre for Health, Sport and Rehabilitation Sciences Research at the University of Salford. They are asking these questions:
a. What are the implications of the design, sitting, laying and use of tactile paving for older people?
b. How is blister and corduroy tactile paving designed, sited and laid in practice?
c. What are older people’s perceptions and approaches to using tactile paving?
d. Can we quantify the relationship between tactile paving design parameters and the biomechanics of ambulation (walking) and risk of falling?
To read about our methods and progress, see the Publications page.
Our ultimate aim with these projects is to identify how best to design certain types of outdoor spaces in residential neighbourhoods and the urban realm in general, including urban renaissance housing (where space is limited), to deliver maximum benefits to older people.
Involving older people
The voices of older people themselves are a key element in this research. I’DGO TOO recognises the great diversity and range of abilities, disabilities, aspirations, expectations and needs that are encompassed in the population of people over 65 years of age. From the beginning, older people have been involved in expressing what is important to them and in shaping the development of the programme.
Who will benefit from our research?
1. All users of the outdoor environment, and particularly older people and disabled people; the emerging evidence and guidance will contribute to an improved quality of life for older people.
2. Policy-makers with responsibility for aspects of health, community care, environment, land use planning and development, sustainability, housing and regeneration, transport, and social inclusion; the research will provide the evidence base to inform key aspects of current and future policy development.
3. Organisations and professional institutions engaged in developing strategies for creating better and more socially just environments; the research will provide the evidence base against which strategies can be evaluated and new strategies devised.
4. Planners, designers and managers of the built environment; the outputs will assist them in designing and making decisions that enhance the quality of life of all people and older people in particular.
5. Developers and clients responsible for briefing designers and procuring new developments.
6. Community associations and other residents’ and community groups; the emerging guidance will assist those who wish to participate in proposals to redevelop or newly develop the outdoor realm and street environment associated with residential and mixed-use neighbourhoods.
7. Organisations representing different user group interests, particularly older people’s and disabled people’s interests; the emerging guidance will provide a basis for making informed contributions to policy and practice in the built environment.
8. Academics and other researchers in the built environment; they will be provided with new concepts, knowledge, methods and tools for understanding and assessing the relationship between particular aspects of the outdoor environment and older people’s quality of life.
How to be involved in I’DGO work
The Consortium welcomes the opportunity to involve you in our work.
Please contact Anna Orme, I’DGO administrator, email idgo@eca.ac.uk or
telephone +44 (0) 131 221 6177.
For a full list of the partners involved in I’DGO TOO, please click here
