Enhancing Elderly Wellbeing and Mobility in Masquefa
In response to the growing elderly population in the European Union, projected to increase from 19% in 2016 to 30%, the “Empowering Active Living and Driving Elderly Recreation and Self-sufficiency” (ELDERS) project is leading an innovative initiative aimed at enhancing the wellbeing and social inclusion of elderly citizens. This project, a collaborative effort between CARNET, the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC), and the local community of Masquefa, seeks to improve urban mobility and accessibility for older adults through the participatory co-design of public spaces.
ELDERS aims to include elderly residents in the process of exploration and enhancement of active mobility and public space design. The project’s main focus is to identify, test, and improve walking routes within Masquefa, thereby facilitating better access and promoting physical and mental well-being. By employing a transdisciplinary approach, ELDERS integrates sustainability parameters into urban planning, ensuring the development of inclusive environments that satisfy the needs of elderly populations.
The project targets three key groups:
- Elderly residents living in urban areas of Masquefa
- Elderly residents living in rural areas of Masquefa
- Architectural master’s students from IAAC
These groups work together to design urban elements that enhance accessibility and encourage active mobility.
Citizen Engagement
The citizen engagement phase of ELDERS recently concluded with two workshops. The first workshop involved 22 elderly participants from both urban and rural areas, who were divided into three groups to explore and analyse different sections of Masquefa. Each group selected a route for further examination in the second workshop, ensuring full coverage of the area and avoiding route overlapping.
In the second workshop, 30 participants were grouped based on the difficulty of the routes they were to walk, ranging from 3 to 5 kilometres. Post-walk discussions revealed a unanimous request for more benches, water fountains, shade, bins, and signage along these routes. A survey conducted during this workshop provided valuable data on active mobility, health, public space usage, and participant satisfaction.
The project is now entering the co-design stage, where IAAC’s design team and master’s students will collaborate with the elderly participants. Together, they will create urban elements that support active mobility, designed to the specific needs of elderly users. These elements will be fabricated and installed in selected routes. The effectiveness and public response to these installations will be evaluated through a follow-up survey, assessing the project’s impact on the community.
Collaboration and Future Impact
CARNET, the leader of the project, also steers the active mobility and citizen engagement workshops. IAAC is responsible for the co-design workshops, as well as the fabrication and implementation of the urban elements. The municipality of Masquefa plays a crucial role as the host city, providing local insights and facilitating community involvement. Additionally, the project is supported by EIT Urban Mobility, which provides funding for the development of the initiative.
Once the project concludes, the results of ELDERS will be published, providing a scalable model for other cities facing similar challenges. This project not only aims to improve the daily lives of the elderly in Masquefa, but also serves as a template for enhancing urban spaces to be more inclusive and supportive of aging populations.
