The current approach to stimulating elderly physical activity mostly uses medical rehabilitation methods or popular forms of outdoor recreation. In the context of an ageing population, there is a growing demand for innovative rehabilitation methods that use information technology. In this article, we present the Urban Health Path as an innovative form of activation for older people using urban therapy, where the architectural elements, such as details, façade features, and urban furniture, inspire movement and attentiveness in the experience of space. The concept is supported by a mobile application that takes into account the specific preferences of older users. Our concept of the physical and cognitive activation of older people was the result of a user-centred design approach and it was tested as a prototype solution. At the same time, the aim of this article is to identify opportunities and limitations for the implementation of this type of solution in other urban spaces. The article presents the process of developing a solution using the Design Thinking method. The process was focused on the needs and preferences of older people. The results of the research project indicate the main important guidelines for implementing the Urban Health Path as a new form of urban facility in the city space.
The world’s population is rapidly ageing, which places a heavy burden on traditional healthcare systems with increased economic and social costs. Technology can assist in the implementation of strategies that enable active and independent ageing by promoting and motivating health-related behaviours, monitoring, and collecting data on daily life for assessment and for aiding in independent living. ICT (Information and Communication Technology) tools can help prevent cognitive and physical decline and social isolation, and enable elderly people to live independently. In this paper, we introduced a comprehensive tool for guiding seniors along the designed urban health paths employing urban architecture as an impulse to perform physical and cognitive exercises. The behaviour of seniors is monitored during their activities using wearable sensors and mobile application. We distinguished three types of data recipients (seniors, path/exercise designers, and the public), for whom we proposed methods of analysing the obtained data and examples of their use. In this work, a wide range of diverse information was examined from which short- and long-term patterns can be drawn. We have also shown that by fusing sensory data and data from mobile applications, we can give context to sensory data, thanks to which we can formulate more insightful assessments of seniors’ behaviour.
In Poland, the last 15 years have been marked by various, numerous regeneration projects of historic cities that were supposed to improve the citizens quality of life and their security, as well as to create an attractive tourist offer. Those programs were often focused on the renewal, reshape and modernization of public squares. Such changes never go unnoticed. On contrary, these are frequently associated with criticism, debate and disagreements. The research has been focused on the analysis of regeneration projects from selected Market Squares in historic cities and town centres in Lower Silesia. The main aim was to exhibit the medieval origin of those squares and recently introduced contemporary layout. Moreover it was to present diverse opinions regarding square’s form and function, that can be crucial in understanding the architects, planners and citizens’ points of view and their ‘feelings’ towards the space.
The aim of the article is to examine the process of spatial development in Oviedo in the Middle Ages, with a particular focus on the formation of urban squares. Oviedo is - in terms of Spanish urbanism - a special example, as it belongs to one of the first cities built on raw roots. During the Middle Ages it was an important administrative, religious and political center. Until 910 it served as the capital of the Kingdom of Asturias, and although it later lost this status to León, by the end of the thirteenth century, it was indeed a fully developed and important city. Like Santiago de Compostela, Oviedo had a strong sacred character, which in turn determined its spatial organization. As far as the spatial development is concerned, a well-thought-out spatial concept developed in the Middle Ages, which, although partially modified, has been preserved until today, deserves special attention. It is particularly interesting to look at open spaces and the process of their formation and transformation. These squares still function today in the same places.
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