18 comment; events


Events & awards


Key upcoming events, conferences and awards


CIH Housing Awards 24 February, Belfast www.cih.org/events


CIH South East Conference 6 - 8 March, Brighton www.cih.org/events


Ecobuild 7 - 9 March, London www.ecobuild.co.uk


Housing Technology Conference & Executive Forum 7 - 9 March, Oxford www.housing-technology.com/events


CIH Scotland Conference 14 - 15 March, Glasgow www.cih.org/events


Housing Finance Conference and Exhibition 22 - 23 March, Liverpool www.housing.org.uk/events


Materials 2017 25 - 26 April, London www.materials2017.co.uk


UK Housing Awards 26 April, London ukha.secure-platform.com


RESI Awards 10 May, London www.resiawards.com


CIH South West Conference 10 - 11 May, Bristol www.cih.org/events


Social Housing Finance Conference 11 May, London www.socialhousing.co.uk/events


Plantworx 6 - 8 June, Leicestershire www.plantworx.co.uk


CIH Housing 27 - 29 June, Manchester www.cihhousing.com


respond online at www.hbdonline.co.uk


volume to be built, we also need the homes to be right. Age-exclusive housing isn’t new, but it does require a radical rethinking. While design and architecture cannot


T


resolve all of the issues faced by an ageing pop- ulation, design principles do have a part to play in helping to build new homes that encourage community and facilitate a more active, engaged retirement. Just as being healthy isn’t simply about what


you eat, promoting physical activity isn’t just about bolting a gym onto a housing develop- ment. We should be looking to create communities, not just developments, which aid sociability and wellness with a light touch. The over 60s are a sophisticated audience that knows what it wants, and what they definitely do not want is to be patronised. It is possible to create developments that


place a particular focus on health and wellbe- ing. The buildings themselves are a vessel to support the lives of the people living within them, so successfully supporting wellness requires vision. Creating a strong connection between internal and external spaces, whether that be through gardens, views, sunlight or fresh air, can deliver many health benefits. Connected walkways that will take people


from their front door, past their neighbours and onto a social hub, make it easier to combat loneliness. Add views or even seating to a walk- way and a corridor is transformed from a


here is a chronic lack of relevant housing options for people over 60 in the UK. While we need a greater


featureless space to a functional, social meeting point that gently encourages people to interact. Landscaping and gardens is also often an after- thought, but turn a green space into a small kitchen-garden or allotment, and suddenly res- idents can get active and enjoy a bit of gardening too. Average life-expectancy is increasing by five


hours every day and, as progressions in health- care and standards of living continue, we will see significant increases in the population over 60, as well as considerable growth in the num- ber of people over 85. Making homes that are future-proof and


adaptable is another vital element for success in delivering new homes that work for the long term. Your needs at 85 plus are very different to your needs at 60. Knowing that you are in a home that is flexible and accessible, and will accommodate you if your circumstances change, makes an apartment a home for the long term. Ensure that the apartments have access to attractive shared spaces and of course you will then also encourage children, grand- children and friends to come and visit. We face a market that perceives retirement


properties as unattractive and undesirable, and yet we know that good age-exclusive housing can help prevent some of the hurdles facing older people, not just the physical health prob- lems associated with ageing. Issues such as loneliness remain either misunderstood or unspoken. Living in a well-designed, secure, future-proof environment that encourages sociability, can benefit everyone.


John Nordon, design director at PegasusLife, says that with an ageing population that is better educated, fitter and more discerning than ever before, homes must be designed to reflect this.


How to design a healthy retirement development


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