Aging-Suitability of Urban Waterfront Open Spaces in Gongchen Bridge Section of the Grand Canal

Abstract

Aging has become a worldwide issue in the 21st century. China became an aging society in 1999, and home-based care is now the main mode of care for the elderly. Present research on the aging-suitability of spaces mainly focuses on the interior and exterior environmental conditions of the home, ignoring public open spaces at the regional and urban levels, with a specific lack of research on waterfront open spaces, which is an important type of public open space in Jiangnan Watertown. The study used the example of the waterfront space of the Hangzhou Gongchen Bridge section of the Grand Canal, the longest artificial canal in the world, to analyze the aging-suitability of waterfront open spaces. Firstly, in this section, the activity characteristics of the elderly were surveyed through observation and semi-structured interviews, then the subjective satisfaction of the elderly with the waterfront spaces was investigated. Through correlation and principal component analysis, five common factors affecting the satisfaction of the elderly were obtained: environment, function, transportation, social culture, and vision. Finally, some design suggestions suitable for the elderly were proposed for three aspects: environment, function, and transportation, which are the most important factors affecting the overall subjective satisfaction of the elderly with the waterfront open space. This study provided a reference for the design and planning of aging-friendly waterfront open spaces, which would improve the aging-suitability of urban open spaces, increasing social participation, and enhancing the quality of life of the elderly. It is of profound significance to build a senior-friendly city and deal with the increasingly severe aging problem.

The Usage and Constraints of Urban River Corridor from a Socio-ecological Perspective: a Systematic Review

“…This predilection may stem from the ability of younger individuals to rely on vehicular transport to access distant urban riverside (Wu et al, 2019b). Conversely, due to declining health conditions, seniors tend to engage in less physically demanding activities, such as walking in nearby outdoor natural spaces (Garrett et al, 2019;Gong et al, 2019;Rantanen et al, 2012). However, a study focusing on using the Donghu Greenway in China highlighted that seniors use urban river corridors more due to their ample and flexible leisure time (Börger et al, 2021;Xie et al, 2023).…”

“…Conversely, uncivil behaviours such as graffiti, littering, and the presence of troublesome individuals can impede usage (Eid et al, 2021;Smith et al, 2022;Vert et al, 2019). A survey conducted in Hangzhou on the suitability of urban waterfront spaces revealed five common factors influencing the satisfaction of older adults with urban blue-green spaces: environment, functionality, transportation, socio-culture, and vision (Gong et al, 2019). On the other hand, children tend to prioritize natural elements and engage in physical activities involving water, such as swimming and water slides (Mansournia et al, 2021).…”

Evaluation of Green Cities in the Drainage Area of China’s Beijing–Hangzhou Canal

“…Now a pillar of China's economy, it provided social stability and played a role in governmental administration in ancient China. It was added to the World Cultural Heritage List of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization on 22 June 2014 [67].…”

Housing Choices of Older People: Staying or Moving in the Case of High Care Needs

“…Wiseman [33] stressed that all people are continuously re-evaluating their domestic situation according to their needs, desires, resources and perceptions of potential outcomes, and decisions to move in old age are linked to the fit between the person and the environment [48]. Of importance are both satisfaction with the home and the wider environment, such as the building or neighbourhood (quality environment, transport, function and walkability) [49][50][51]. Hillcoat-Nallétamby and Ogg [30] stressed that a significant proportion of older people do wish to move because they dislike their current home environments.…”