7.2 LongevityTech Cities: Design for Age-Inclusive Urban Futures

Corresponding Chairs

Sheung-Hung Lee, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Sofie Hodara, Northeastern University

Co-Chairs

Satu Miettinen, University of Lapland

Bruce Hanington, Carnegie Mellon University

Carla Sedini, IULM University

Andreas Sicklinger, Università di Bologna

 Miso Kim, Northeastern University

Joseph F. Coughlin, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Abstract

The global demographic transformation fundamentally reshapes societal structures, informing urban frameworks that accommodate aging populations (Scott, 2024). This transition underscores the emergence of the LongevityTech city: an integrative vision of urban futures that extend healthy lifespans, enhance quality of life in later years, and support individuals across diverse life stages through the design of (1) product, (2) architecture, (3) service, (4) system, (5) urban planning, and (6) policy. This theme track engages three key research questions:

• How can designers integrate emerging technologies into urban systems to support aging populations with equity and accessibility?

• What design methods and processes best engage multigenerational stakeholders and older adults in longevity-inclusive urban design?

• How can service design frameworks support systemic planning across housing, mobility, health, and community well-being in LongevityTech cities?

The realization of LongevityTech cities transcends technological infrastructure, combining age-friendly and smart-city paradigms. At the intersection of biotechnology, digital health, gerontology, artificial intelligence, and service infrastructure (Kim, 2024; Miettinen et al., 2012), LongevityTech offers an innovative systems-level response to the multifaceted challenges of population aging, supported by but not limited to technology. It requires a human-centered and service-oriented design perspective. Educational initiatives such as Hodara’s (2024) curriculum on LongevityTech emphasize inclusive design strategies and methods (Hanington & Martin, 2019). Meroni and Selloni (2022) highlight the importance of participatory design in shaping age-inclusive public spaces. Lee and Sicklinger’s (2024) Design for Longevity (D4L) framework integrates life-stage planning across various domains, such as housing, health, education, and community engagement.

The LongevityTech City emphasizes the transformative role of design in fostering multigenerational communities, offering a contrast to smart cities that prioritize technology alone. Coughlin (2024) advocates for regional longevity hubs and public policy to address aging challenges globally; Speck’s (2013) walkability framework—grounded in usefulness, safety, comfort, and interest—aligns with aging-in-place strategies for longevity planning. Sedini et al.’s (2019) case study in Milan illustrates how systems thinking can inform the development of walkable, age-ready urban environments.

The track seeks critical and creative contributions that examine how longevity intersects with urban contexts, exploring best practices, innovative technologies, participatory methods, and human–non-human interactions that support “well-aging.”

Keywords

Longevity Technology, Longevity Planning, Service System, Urban Planning, Aging

References

Pan, S., Sarantou, M. and Miettinen, S. (2019). Design for Care: How the “Good Old Days” can Empower Senior Residents to Achieve Better Services in an Aged-Care Institution. The International Journal of Design in Society 13 (2): 25-40. doi:10.18848/2325-1328/CGP/v13i02/25-40.

Elana Hodara, S. (2024). LongevityTech: Bridging Immersive Media and Design for Longevity. diid, 1(82). https://doi.org/10.30682/diid8224f

Hanington, B., & Martin, B. (2019). Universal Methods of Design: 125 Ways to Research Complex Problems, Develop Innovative Ideas, and Design Effective Solutions. (Expanded and revised edition). Rockport Publishers.

Kim, M. (2024). Exploring Autonomy as a Design Principle: Theoretical Review of Autonomy and Case Studies of Service Design for Seniors. Design and Culture, 16(1), 83–107. https://doi.org/10.1080/17547075.2023.2259658

Lee, S.-H., & Sicklinger, A. (2024). Design for Longevity: People, Process, and Platform. diid, 1(82). https://doi.org/10.30682/diid8224a

Pei, X., Sedini, C., & Zurlo, F. (2019). Co-designing a walkable city for the elderly through system thinking approach.