Integrative Neighborhood Design: Enhancing Community Support for Aging Adults

Abstract

This thesis explores how suburban neighborhoods can be retrofitted to better support aging in place through community-oriented design. As the aging population grows, many older adults express a desire to remain in their homes and communities; however, most suburban environments are not equipped to meet their social, physical, or emotional needs. Using a section of a neighborhood in Roanoke, Virginia as a case study, the project proposes a network of accessible pedestrian paths, layered public and semi-public gathering spaces, and a central gathering space to encourage connection, independence, and well-being. The design framework is grounded in three guiding priorities, gathering spaces, human-centered strategies, and universal design, offering a replicable model for transforming car-centric suburbs into supportive, intergenerational communities.