Abstract

China has one of the fastest aging populations in the world. The country’s rapid economic development and urbanization have separated millions of older adults from their children, leading to empty nest families where the elderly must fend for themselves without assistance. Design in the modern era caters to the younger generation with more consumption power while neglecting the needs of these older adults.

In China, from the moment a child is born, confinement centers, preschools, and tutoring institutions, those venues are common throughout the urban fabric. Which spaces are mainly designed for the Chinese elderly? Besides meeting necessary physical needs such as medical treatment, what is lacking to meet the needs of this swiftly growing demographic?

Jilin Grocery Worker Housing is a microcosm of the overall situation in China, with 60 percent of senior adult residents who are in retirement. Most live alone or with their spouses on a limited economic income. This thesis proposes to understand and categorize elderly leisure activities to create a functional public space that fosters the connection between people. Architecture has the power to prevent or eliminate potential loneliness by promoting internal interaction between residents and encouraging spontaneous socializing among senior adults. The design also demonstrated that the space designed with the elderly as its main user group will also integrate people voluntarily to enrich daily lives and bring happiness to participants.