Age-integrated Housing and Neighbourhoods

Symposium for architects, planners, care providers, policy makers and academic researchers on buildings and neighbourhoods for ageing societies. 

We are in the midst of a profound demographic shift, as ageing populations across the Global North challenge established models of welfare, housing, and care.

This interdisciplinary symposium explores how the built environment can promote healthy ageing, postpone care needs, and foster inclusive communities. The symposium is based on the network 'Age-integrated Housing and Neighbourhoods', bringing together researchers from architecture, urban planning, anthropology, health, and social sciences.

Contributors examine ageing from multiple perspectives and scales. Sessions explore how individual residents with dementia navigate their neighbourhoods, how minority ethnic families arrange multigenerational living spaces, and how cities translate age-friendly policies into built form. Through case studies and evidence from across Europe and North America, the symposium reveals that supportive environments require understanding the complex interplay between physical design, social relationships, and diverse ageing experiences.

Participation

To participate please send an email before October 15th to institute coordinator, Camilla Schmidt: csch@kglakademi.dk

Participation is free. Coffee and lunch are included in the event. 

The symposium welcomes architects, planners, care providers, and policymakers alongside academic researchers to explore real-world examples of successful age-integrated environments and discuss implementation challenges and opportunities for creating more inclusive communities.

Program

8.45:     Registration and coffee

9.00:     Introduction to symposium by Michael Asgaard Andersen and Louise Dedenroth Høj

Panel on 'Approaches'

• 9.10: Kaare Christensen, professor, University of Southern Denmark
• 9.25: Ebba Högström, professor, Umeå University
• 9.40: Birgit Jürgenhake, assistant professor, TU Delft
• 9.55: Frank Oswald, professor, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt
• 10.10: Common discussion

10.30:   Break 

Panel on 'Empowerment'

• 10.40: Sara Marie Ertner, associate professor, IT University of Copenhagen
• 10.55: Sidse Grangaard, senior researcher, BUILD, Aalborg University
• 11.10: Habib Chaudhury, professor, Simon Fraser University
• 11.25: Common discussion

11.45:    Lunch 

Panel on 'Communities' 

• 12.30: Jennifer H. Molinsky, associate professor, Harvard University
• 12.45: Rikke Lund, professor, University of Copenhagen
• 13.00: Manik Deepak-Gopinath, associate professor, Open University
• 13.15: Deane Alan Simpson, Professor, Royal Danish Academy
• 13.30: Common discussion

13.50:    Final remarks 

14.00:   Network and drinks

14.30:   End of day