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Project code: FBA
Age-Friendly Built Form and Infrastructure design Model and
Knowledge Networking
Broad area
Design and development with selective demonstration
Need for the Study in the Context of Future of Cities
Contemporary demographic shift records alarming increase in the population of the
elderly which is creating irreversible socio-economic changes in societies,
deteriorating their living conditions, health and relationships. Further, the growing
elderly population morphs the traditional population pyramid to a population
rectangle. The gifts of longevity lead the designers and planners to center urban
development and architecture on the healthy family and children and motorized
traffic. While the US suburbia conceived as a great escape from pollution and hassles
of urban life later lead to isolated and subserviced elderly habitation, in India the
shift from joint family to nuclear family, separated the elderly. Younger generation
shifted in search of job lead to the deprival of the elderly of care and destined them to
loneliness and destitution, lack of medical care and insecurity. Thus, elderly are
helpless, alienates themselves from family and society, bearing disrespect and
worthlessness. However, the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior
Citizens Act contains effective provisions for the maintenance and welfare of parents
and senior citizens guaranteed and recognized under the Constitution. Current
institutions that provide old age care; after care homes and other elderly facilities are
not in an acceptable state. These only cater to a very small section of the large elderly
population. Further, research in India to find out the specific preferences and needs
of the various strata, gender and class of elderly are insufficient and in nascent state.
Hence, it is important to tackle the alarming situation by developing appropriate
Elderly-friendly built form design and infrastructure design model with the
Government’s intervention; reformed acts, programmes, awareness and incentives.
Such a model shall be enabling the elderly and provide for their physical, social, and
emotional requirements and integrated with services, medical and security required.
Further, Aging profiles in India necessities an urgent compilation of Standards and
Design Heuristics or norms that can be used by professionals in the scenario of
Urban and Rural Infrastructure planning, design and management.
Objective and Scope of work
Age-Friendly Built Form and Infrastructure Design Model and Knowledge
Networking is a potential panacea to the ever deteriorating life of urban elderly.
Future of Cities Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur
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Project code: FBA
Age-Friendly Built Form and Infrastructure Design Model and Knowledge Networking
Appropriate built form and environment for the elderly as well as for all age-groups
shall be well integrated and embedded within the emerging digital technologies
rather than retrofitted. Such built forms shall be defined physically, culturally, and
accommodating the requirements of the elderly in particular; be it physical, medical,
safety and security, communicational, access, or transport. The project aims at:
• Surveys and studies to understand how the physical, social, emotional and
support needs of the elderly differ by way of dimension, specification, design and
performance and to generate dependable India-specific database of
anthropometric and ergonomic aspects of the elderly and able-bodied alike to
make the designs Age-friendly. Detailed list of equipments required for the
setting up of Ergonomic Laboratory and facilities for conducting field studies are
given along with detailed estimate(Annexure ll).
• Detailed studies and analysis on the data obtained and special needs of the elderly
in specific, leading to type designs based on modular approach. Integration of
services and facilities including Access, Safety and security, Fire, Health
monitoring and early warning is proposed in the model using market available
systems and providers. The built form design will be complimenting the life of
elderly through living in an integrated age-friendly community.
• A ‘Knowledge Network for the Age- Friendly Built Form and Infrastructure
Design’ - KNAFBFID, will be launched with chosen nodal centers. The data
generated through studies and surveys will be made accessible to the designers
and researchers through setting-up of dedicated knowledge portal, for effective
diffusion and interaction.
• Adaptations for the existing built forms and infrastructure are proposed initially
followed by designs for future built forms and infrastructure. Developing Age-
friendly built form design and infrastructure design model with detailed design
and development of environmental design, intelligent and efficient housing units
for the urban elderly. Evolving standards and guidelines and specifications for
designers.
• Integration of systems and services is an important factor and this has to be
achieved through coordinating with other service providers. An appropriate level
of intelligence is to be maintained in the built form design. Use of available
electronic gadgets and elderly assistance tools will be integrated appropriately
with the model developed. Single point control with marker keys using integrated
security and management system will be a unique aspect of the model developed.
Way-finding and Environmental Design aspects will be explored. Use of market
available intelligent security and energy management systems will be explored.
• Demonstration on a selective mode will be attempted along with joint project
implementation with large scale housing developers / State Housing Boards will
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Project code: FBA
be worked out as appropriate. IIT Kharagpur will be used as the initial study field
for the project, with the permission of appropriate authorities.
Scope
The project development would combine the joint wisdom of three investigators in
Architecture, Environmental Design, Interaction Design and Usability Engineering
and Infrastructure Design and Management, along with medical health care
providers, doctors, mental health care providers and electronic networking to serve
the needs of the elderly to make their life healthy, safe and secure. Use and
integration of market-available electronic and elderly-assistance gadgets are
proposed. Development of new electronic equipment for the elderly is beyond the
scope of the project. However, elderly assistance products will be explored for
possible production. Further, Built forms other than residential are beyond the
scope of this project, but for further research.
Elderly / Senior Citizen/ Aged
Most developed world countries have accepted the chronological age of 65 years
as a definition of 'elderly' or older person. However, unlike these westernized
concepts, 65 years prescription does not adapt well to the situation in India. The
definition of elderly / senior citizen / aged (65 years) is somewhat arbitrary. It is
better associated with the age at which one can begin to receive pension benefits. At
the moment, there is no United Nations standard numerical criterion, but the UN
agreed cutoff is 60+ years to refer to the older population(1). Ageing process is a
biological reality which has its own dynamics, largely beyond human control.
However, it is also influenced by the constructions by which any society makes sense
of old age. The age of 60 – 65 years, is the range of retirement ages in most
developed countries and is the commencement of old age. In many parts of the
developing world, chronological time has little or no importance in the meaning of
old age. Other socially constructed meanings of age are more significant such as the
roles assigned to older people; in some cases it is the loss of roles accompanying
physical decline which is significant in defining old age. Thus, in contrast to the
chronological prescriptions, old age in many developing countries is seen to begin at
the point when active contribution is no longer possible(2). However, for the project
lower age limit of 60 years is considered beginning of elderly life.
Friendly
Like other countries around the globe, India too must gear up to face the problems
ageing of our population, plan and identify strategies, we need to adopt and the
provisions we must make to create an age-friendly society, both now and in the
future. Such age-friendliness is defined basically as the empowerment for
independent or assisted life in a socially pleasing and communally harmonious
setting without the fear of being isolated, vulnerable to abuse or lack of medical and
other emergency assistance(3). Further, the elderly shall be made to feel ‘aging a
blessing’ by providing rightful opportunities where they could contribute positively
for the building-up of the Nation. As a society, we would not intentionally want to
make inadequate provision for older people; that would mean making inadequate
provision for our own future (4).
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Project code: FBA
METHODOLOGY:
Fig. 1: Methodology
AGE-FRIENDLY BUILT FORM AND INFRASTRUCTURE DESIGN MODEL & KNOWLEDEGE NETWORKING
ANALYSIS AND ELDERLY RESIDENTIAL DESIGN
• Concept and residential design for the elderly
• Identification of types of residences; Govt., Private and others.
• Systems and services
• Development and detailing with specifications
• Establish the knowledge network; KNAFBFID
Literature Review
• Role and
development of
House for the
elderly, Systems
and services
• Safe & secure,
Integrated Interiors
• Types of
electronic sensors
and deployment
strategy
• Special needs of
elderly
Study of Elderly
Ergonomics
&Comfort
• Indian context
Male and Female
• Assessment of
need through
national seminar /
conference; •
Workshop-I
• Establishment of
Sub Centers
System and service
Integration for
coordinated
performance.
Networking with
health providers,
security, and
emergency services
Case studies
• Study ofidentified
elderly housing
• Identification of
problems & prospects
• Case study of geriatric
needs for assisted living
especially at centers
• Study of social,
behavioral and
emotional needs
• Study of elderly
exteriors
Studies, Surveys,
Measurements and
Interviews-Procurement
of Equipments and
appointment of staff
• Creation of nodal
centers • Generation of
databank for the elderly
Ergonomics
&Anthropometrics •
Creation of knowledge
sharing network.
Feed Back
DEVELOPMENT OF THEDESIGN
• Simulation and performance evaluation
• System integration and intelligence
• Integration of residential unit with local network
• Conference on the Design and peer review; Workshop-II
VALIDATION OF THE DESIGN DEVELOPED
• Validating the Design developed through surveys, and model and
prototype studies.
• Setting-up of evaluation units for use over specified period and
feedback. Workshop-III
• Evaluation by industry for potential manufacturing
Guidelines, Conclusion
Report
FeedBack
StageI
12months
StageII
12months
StageIII
12months
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Project code: FBA
OUTCOMES/DELIVERABLES:
AGE-FRIENDLY BUILT FORM DESIGN AND INFRASTRUCTURE DESIGN
MODEL AND KNOWLEDGE NETWORKING
Stage
I
Study and Analysis Stage II
Stage
II
Stage I Development of Model Stage III
Stage
III
Validation of Model
DELIVERABLES
Assessment through
surveys and
interviews and Case
studies. Knowledge
network set-up.
Generated database
analyzed, classified and
coded for effective retrieval.
Recommendations and
strategies developed.
Methodologies and
Design validation.
Organize ergonomic
studies and
measurements.
Databank
Generated.
Modular Elderly-friendly
built form design, elements
and environment generated.
Detailing done.
Feedback incorporated.
Launching of
Knowledge Network
System Integration and
intelligence achieved with
available equipments.
Industry Evaluation for
production.
Indian Data Set for
elderly generated.
Workshop l.
Deployment and validation
of prototype developed.
Workshop ll.
Workshop lll.
Experimentation,
calibration and
validation
Report on the Elderly-
friendly built form design,
Integration and Intelligence.
Final Report on the
Elderly-friendly design,
methodologies &
Infrastructure.
TEAM COMPOSITION
Principal Investigator (Built form & Knowledge Networking)
Prof. Abraham George Associate Professor, Department of Architecture& Regional
Planning, IIT Kharagpur
Principal investigator (Infrastructure):
Prof. Uttam Kumar
Banerjee
Professor, ARP and RCG School of Infrastructure Design and
Management, IIT Kharagpur
Principal investigator (Ergonomics)
Prof. Pradeep G.
Yammiyavar
Professor, Department of Design, Indian Institute of
Technology Guwahati
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