Population ageing is a global phenomenon. It is becoming increasingly one of the major issues in Hong Kong.  The proportion of the aged population (≥ 65) will rise drastically from 1/6 in 2016 to 1/3 in 2036, i.e., doubling in 15 years. Among the eight domains of the Age-Friendly Cities Framework, “Housing”, and “Community Support and Health Services”, related to planning and design, are among the weakest in Hong Kong. 
 
These inter-related factors pose various theatres to elders’ well-being. A progressive revamp of our built environment is imperative for achieving healthy ageing. Due to the lack of platforms for elders' participation, design professionals are often deprived of direct engagement with elders and other user groups. As a result, assumptions of design and planning might not reflect the actual needs of the potential users.
 
An interdisciplinary agency is much needed to solicit and channel elders' views, aspirations, and everyday challenges for a more human-centred approach, which we call empathetic design practice.

By adopting a participatory approach, we propose Three-in-One Services to help built environment professionals, real estate corporates, property management, service providers, and the public sector to achieve the followings: Understand. Through the user- and community engagements (interview, workshops, and focus groups), our Lab helps clients to understand the Silver Market by analyzing the needs, aspirations, and challenges of their prospective customers, emerging target groups, and communities in large. Assess.
 
Older adults will be trained as our assessors to conduct user-oriented place/design audit, which areas of improvement for existing services/products/places will be identified.  Findings will form the baseline to inform solution development. After the intervention, post-occupancy evaluation/monitoring will be conducted to analyze the costs and benefits of the changes. Develop.The Lab will co-create integrated solutions with our docents to address the shortcomings identified, improve the existing provision, and develop strategies, plans and design principles for clients.

Elders One of the critical factors in achieving positive ageing is to remain active. The Lab helps to encourage elders’ further contribution and social participation by diversifying the range of volunteers works and employments (part-time), and providing empowerment/training activities, respectively.  In addition, their involvement in the research process will positively influence their social and psychological well-being and improve their life satisfaction.      
 
Professionals, Business, and Public Sectors The Lab attempts to induce changes in practice and promote design innovation by advocating the empathetic design approach. The R&D process will derive valuable research findings that help improve professional practice. In addition, their investment will positively impact the value of corporate social responsibility and the services/products/places of a business.    
 
Functioning as a platform, the Lab will lobby interdisciplinary and intersectoral collaborations, which will help develops new areas of services/practice and influence policymaking for the emerging silver market.

30+ older adults
30+ students and other youth members
Built environment professionals, real estate corporates, property management businesses, and service providers

2021

Active Ageing, Architecture, Build environment

Social Enterprise