Residential satisfaction of elderly in the city centre: The case of revitalizing neighbourhoods in Prague

While the historical cores of the post-socialist cities of Central and Eastern Europe are adapting to the invasion of tourism and profitable companies, dynamic regeneration is altering the character of the inner-city neighbourhoods from working class peripheries to modern multi-functional urban sub-centres. Changing residential environments, landscapes and functions affect the daily lives and residential satisfaction of the local population, and especially of the low-income and elderly people facing mobility restrictions. This research evaluates the residential satisfaction of the elderly in two Prague city centre neighbourhoods that experienced dramatic changes in their residential environment during the post-socialist transition: the historical core, which has been exposed to massive touristification and commercialization, and a former working class neighbourhood that has been experiencing rapid regeneration. The local accessibility of services, public spaces, housing and social support was examined through a questionnaire survey. Contrary to our expectations based on the existing literature review, the results show that, despite the rapid revitalization processes, the elderly are fairly satisfied with their residential environment in both neighbourhood types.     

The changing environment and neighbourhood satisfaction in socialist high-rise panel housing estates: The time-comparative perceptions of elderly residents in Prague

Population aging represents a significant trend in shaping contemporary urban areas, and research investigating various aspects of age-friendly cities and neighbourhoods has enjoyed increasing attention from urban scholars and practitioners. The neighbourhood transformations that have been taking place in socialist high-rise panel housing estates in the last 20 years raise concerns as to how they are experienced by local elderly populations. Although a number of studies have addressed recent developments in high-rise panel estates in countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), little is known about the self-perceived residential quality of elderly inhabitants. This paper investigates the neighbourhood satisfaction of the elderly living in housing estates in Prague, the Czech Republic. The focus of this study is on their perceptions of the opportunities and barriers presented by the changing residential environments in relation to their daily independence. The paper takes a time-comparative approach based on face-to-face interviews with elderly adults from three different study areas. The findings suggest that neighbourhood satisfaction is influenced, among other factors, by the “life stage” of the housing estate, by the individual circumstances of moving to the neighbourhood and by the time to adapt to the new environment. Although the elderly evaluate housing estates as convenient places to live, the risks related to demographic aging and the deterioration of local facilities must be taken seriously.     

Measuring the spatial quality of bedrooms in nursing homes with visual environmental performance

The elderly’s perception of their environment largely depends on acquired visual information. This study provides a quantitative analytical method for designing bedrooms in nursing homes by developing a computational model that uses viewing distance, viewing angle, and viewing field as variables. The model is utilized to measure a range of visual environmental properties, including privacy, accessibility, permeability, and visibility, which reflect the quality of bedrooms in nursing homes. The suitability levels of bedroom planes for the elderly and their main living functions as well as the fitting degree of the functional layout are calculated based on these data. After validating the computational model’s feasibility, this study optimizes the typical schemes of single and double rooms in nursing homes. Results reveal certain advantages of the arrangement where bathroom doors are set toward the inside of the bedroom and double rooms have a large width. The computational model can be used in measuring the spatial quality of bedrooms in nursing homes and as a mathematical model for related algorithm design and software programming to assist in the design and optimization of bedrooms for the elderly.     

Residential quality assessment

This paper focuses on the construction of residential quality scores as a preliminary step towards defining neighborhoods in urban areas. Two issues have been addressed: (1) the effect of spatial scale in the delineation of boundaries, and (2) variations in the assessment of residential quality when alternative methods are used. The spatial analysis undertaken in this research is integrated into a vector-based GIS environment to facilitate information exchange as well as the generation of topological information. The City of Syracuse (NY) is selected as the study area.     

Post-occupancy evaluation of residents of single- and multi-family earth-sheltered housing

This paper presents the results of a study of user response to an earth-sheltered residential environment, based on interviews and a questionnaire. Data was collected in 1980 from 39 subjects living in 22 single- and multi-family earth-sheltered homes in the Minneapolis-St Paul, Minnesota (U.S.A.) area. The paper discusses results of the study in terms of the socioeconomic characteristics of the respondents and the characteristics of the earth-sheltered homes studied, as well as consumer attitudes toward and level of satisfaction with earth-sheltered living. The study found that current residents of earth-sheltered houses were very satisfied with their homes and that their attitudes toward their residential environment appeared to improved after they had lived in the homes. The paper includes a review of the literature involving studies of consumer attitudes toward earth-sheltered housing.     

Housing and the elderly in Singapore – financial and quality of life implications of ageing in place

In spite of the unprecedented success of publichousing in Singapore, the rapid rate at whichthe population is greying is causing housingstress in the matured Housing and DevelopmentBoard (HDB) estates. Although new housingoptions such as studio apartments are beingprovided by the public sector while a recentlyformed housing cooperative is developing aretirement village, the majority of the elderlyin Singapore prefer to age in place,notwithstanding the imbalance between thedemands of their homes and the functioninglevel of the elderly persons' physical andbiological systems. This implies that homemodification, rather than new-built elderlyhousing, may be a more pragmatic solution tothe elderly Singaporeans' housing problems thatcould also improve their quality of life. Since85% of the population of Singapore live inpublic housing, this paper examines the typesof home modifications that could be carried outto the existing stock of public housing so asto create a suitable living environment for theelderly. In addition, the paper considers thehousing finance predicaments of the elderlySingaporean and explores possible financinginstruments that could be implemented tosupport home modifications for Singapore'sgreying population. The paper concludes thatsince home modification(s) could improve thequality of life of the elderly persons morethan specialised housing, public funds shouldbe diverted from building new specialisedhousing to home modification(s) for elderlyhome owners.     

日本养老体系对我国城市既有社区适老化更新策略的启示

我国的适老化居住研究起步较晚,其养老体系的发展仍然存在一系列问题,如缺乏政策支持、居住适应性差、养老形式单一等。而日本作为较早进入老年社会的国家,其养老体系在政策一体性、更新潜质性、居住多样性等方面发展较为成熟,对我国的养老体系发展有着较大的参考意义。本研究通过借鉴日本养老体系,试探性地从政府政策、社区环境、住宅内部三个层面提出了相应的更新策略及其建议。     

Correlation between Negotiated Rents and Neighbourhood Quality: A Case Study of Two Cities in Sweden

The aim of this paper is to analyse whether or not differentiated rents reflect differences in neighbourhood quality in housing of similar quality and age in two target cities in Sweden. The system for rent setting in Sweden is partly based on a process of negotiation in which the annual change in actual rents is an outcome of negotiations between the local branch of the Swedish Union of Tenants and local municipal housing companies. One possible outcome of these negotiations could be change to the rental structure in the different neighbourhoods within the municipality. By allowing differences in negotiated rent outcomes in different neighbourhoods, a better relationship of rent level to tenant perception of neighbourhood quality can be achieved. It is the understanding of the authors that in a number of local-housing-market rent negotiations over the last decade, the parties involved have agreed on the need for and have consciously aimed towards making such adjustments. In this paper, regression analysis has been used to analyse data about rent levels for residential units from two cities in Sweden, namely Gothenburg and Luleå. It can be concluded that differentiated rents are indeed present, hence the existing rent-setting system in Sweden can be used to improve the relationship between rental structure and neighbourhood quality.     

The impact of the residential lead paint disclosure rule on house prices: findings in the American Housing Survey

In an effort to reduce lead paint exposure in old homes, the residential lead paint hazard disclosure rule (Title X) was enacted in 1996 in the USA, which requires house sellers to disclose known lead-based paint hazards to buyers. The policy is designed to induce individuals’ improved maintenance behaviors through environmental information provisions. Minimizing the impact on housing prices is also the key component of the policy; a decline in the price of old homes because of the policy may lead to higher occupancy rates of the targeted low-income groups into lead paint risk homes. To explore the issue, this study examined whether the lead paint disclosure rule lowered values of old houses using the American Housing Survey data from 1993 to 2005 with the repeat sales method. The findings show the policy did not lower prices of old homes, as it intended.     

The World Bank and Urban Development: From Projects to Policy by Edward Ramsamy

Walking as an out-of-home mobility activity is recognised for its contribution to healthy and active ageing. The environment can have a powerful effect on the amount of walking activity undertaken by older people, thereby influencing their capacity to maintain their well-being and independence. This paper reports the findings from research examining the experiences of neighbourhood walking for 12 older people from six different inner-city high density suburbs, through analysis of data derived from travel diaries, individual time/space activity maps (created via global positioning systems (GPS) tracking over a seven-day period and geographic information system (GIS) technology), and in-depth interviews. Reliance on motor vehicles, the competing interests of pedestrians and cyclists on shared pathways and problems associated with transit systems, public transport, and pedestrian infrastructure emerged as key barriers to older people venturing out of home on foot. GPS and GIS technology provide new opportunities for furthering understanding of the out-of-home mobility of older populations.     

改革开放后广州市居住区演进特征分析

改革开放后,广州市居住区建设布局在各方面呈现出新的特点:居住区的分布由中心城区向边缘郊区转移;居住区规模扩大,容积率下降;居住区布局形态从“邻里街坊”型趋于自然流线型;公共设施布局由计划配置到需求调控,由以商业为主到商业、娱乐、教育、康体并重;交通系统由以车为主到以人为本,由单一自行车停放处到多层次、多分工停车场;绿地景观由人工点缀型到自然镶嵌型。     

Comprehensive assessment methodology for liveable residential environment

This paper provides a methodology for the comprehensive assessment of residential environment liveability (REL) as a tool for architects, urban planners, and policy makers. Residential environments are facing challenges to achieve their liveability due to lack of resources, population growth, and urbanization. Over the past decades, a considerable progress has been made towards the evaluation of the quality of urban development and buildings and it mainly addresses environmental indicators. The main objective of this research is the development of a new methodology for assessing the quality of residential environment design in urban areas and to emphasize the significance of the holistic approach based on Scandinavian experience. The Scandinavian role model for housing issues not only comprises of building design, but also provides a development of high-quality residential environment as a whole to improve social well-being. An innovative deductive methodology serves as a platform for developing a system of criteria and quantitative and qualitative indicators for assessing the quality of residential environment while ensuring healthy, pleasant, and attractive environments for living. The REL method is discussed from many different aspects, while the indicators refer to various elements of physical urban form in residential environment. The results of the research show that the criteria system to assess residential environment quality, which focuses on liveability, is of general application.     

基于环境心理体验的居住区外部空间设计--以天津市“格调春天”居住区为例

城市居住区除了要满足基本的使用需求外,还要充分考虑住区的主体——人的需要。设计应从人的心理体验出发,创造更为舒适的空间品质,营造出新时代的理想家园。该文以天津市“格调春天”居住区项目为例,从环境行为心理学的角度,以人的心理需求为出发点,对住区环境设计作出了一定的分析评价,并以此为据,来探讨什么样的住区环境才是真正适合我们需要的环境;指出应用环境行为心理学理论建设美观宜居环境的重要性及手法。在任何社会任何时代,人与环境的和谐相处都是人类生存发展的需要。作为设计师．我们应该更多的去感受生活。体验生活,关注不同环境中的行为心理体验。满足使用者的需求,提高被使用者的价值,才是我们做设计的真正意义。     

智能小区弱电系统的需求分析

介绍了计算机局域网、安全防范系统对智能化住宅小区的必要性,同时对楼宇设备监控系统、三表自动计费系统、公共广播系统和视频点播系统的需求作了一定分析,认为住宅小区的智能化建设应根据其建设规模、用户对象、销售档次、周边环境、配套设施和管理要求等多方面因素进行综合考虑,把握好业主的真实要求,做出合理的定位。     

Fire safety among the elderly in Western Australia

Unsafe dwelling environments may contribute to high morbidity and mortality of residential fire among the elderly people. This study investigated the prevalence of fire safety devices and related risk factors in elderly households. A series of convenience surveys was administered at 11 council community centres within metropolitan Perth, Western Australia, between August and October 2004. A total of 1188 older adults aged 65 years or over were recruited. The results found generally low prevalence for electric safety switches (56%), fire extinguishers (18%) and fire blankets (10%), while 72% had a functional smoke detector installed. Nearly a quarter of the participants had never thought of an escape route. Logistic regression analysis based on generalized estimating equations further showed that those living alone had a significantly lower prevalence of smoke detector and functional smoke detector, with adjusted odds ratios 0.48 (95% CI: 0.34–0.69) and 0.55 (95% CI: 0.41–0.75), respectively. Similarly, elderly people living in private rental housing appeared to be less equipped against residential fire relative to those in public rental and those occupying their own homes. As expected, elderly people with home contents insurance coverage had a significantly higher prevalence of fire safety devices. These findings have important implications for the government and policy makers if community fire safety for the elderly is to be improved.     

Who lives downtown? Neighbourhood change in central Halifax, 1951–2011

The paper traces neighbourhood change in central Halifax, Canada, from 1951 to 2011 to consider how urban renewal policies and other factors may have influenced who lives downtown. In the 1950s planners advocated slum clearance and modernization to permit commercial expansion in the city centre. Subsequent decades saw central neighbourhoods decline. By the 1980s population began to rebound as planning policy increasingly promoted residential uses downtown. Over the 60 years central Halifax transitioned in character: three of the central tracts became increasingly affluent, while the fourth went from close to the city average to a low-income tract. The trajectories that neighbourhoods follow depend on several factors including societal changes, economic conditions, public policy interventions, and decisions made by other significant institutions (such as universities).     

基于GIS的公交查询系统设计

从建立城市公交查询系统的必要性出发,提出了一种基于GIS的城市公交信息查询系统的设计方案,对查询系统的数据表结构和查询功能结构进行了设计,并且对一些要点的实现算法进行了探讨分析。给出了一种更便于人们快捷、方便,简单地查询出行线路的方法。注重了人性化的出行查询要求,提供了最少乘车时间、最少乘车费用,最少乘换次数三种乘车方案查询及公交线路信息查询。     

Transport facilities and residential choice behavior: A model of multi-person choice processes

The aim of this paper is to gain further insight into the way in which residential location choice behavior is related to the existence of public transport facilities and to distance to the workplace. More specifically, the objectives of this paper are twofold. The first objective is to gain more insight into the influence of the characteristics of residential locations on residential location choice behavior. The selected characteristics are related to three aspects: (a) the residence itself (dwelling type, costs, type of neighborhood); (b) the transportation facilities in the residential neighborhood (frequency of bus services, availability of railway station, accessibility to main road system); and (c) the travel time from the residential location to the workplace (car, public transportation, and bike). The second objective is to test a model of joint (multi-person) decision making behavior. The results of this research indicate that the preference for a particular residential location is highly dependent on the characteristics of the dwelling and its environment, and to a lesser extent on the travel time to the workplace. The characteristics pertaining to transportation facilities seem to be less important. These results imply that transportation policy is not necessarily an effective instrument to influence residential choice behavior and the associated mobility.An earlier version of this paper was presented at the 31st European Congress of the RSAI, Lisbon, Portugal, August 1991.     

都市的“港湾”绿色的“里弄”──上海新江湾城(一期)国际竞赛获奖方案

90年代的上海，住宅建设已成为城市改建与发展的重要组成部分。按照市委、市政府提出的“不断提高人民生活质量”的要求，上海市将着手在东、南、西、北四个片上开发建设4个示范性居住区。每个区总建筑面积都将超过100万m‘。示范居住区将按照大众性、超前性、科学性、示范性的要求定位，即要面向广大的中等收入家庭，运用政府保障行为与市场调节相结合的开发机制，集中建设不以盈利为目的的平价房，以体现大众化；其规划、设计、建设标准要在现行标准的基础上，适应跨世纪的需求，以体现超前性；充分推广、采用各种成熟的新技术、新材料、…