The Application of Value Management with Public Engagement to Improve the Design of a Public Area for Elders

The design of public areas should meet the rapidly changing and increasingly diverse needs of different stakeholders, especially the needs of elders, who have special needs concerning space, facilities and so on. Unlike young people, elders face characteristic problems caused by their aging bodies; they are vulnerable to various diseases (e.g., dementia, Parkinson’s disease and depression); have reduced mobility, and so on. Researchers have claimed that the physical environment – such as lighting, private space and so on – can affect elders’ health and well-being (Leung et al. 2013). For instance, if hygiene standards do not meet specific criteria, pneumonia and food poisoning become common in elders who have a weak immune system. Hence, it is critical to consider the unique characteristics of elders while designing public areas they will use.