Life Between Generations: A Housing Typology for Aging in Place

In the architectural realm, housing is central to the quality of life in a city because it impacts the physical and metaphysical conditions in which we live. This thesis redefines health for aging populations to be about social inclusion, improving people’s quality of life in a city. It also addresses the urgent need to densify housing in an urban context to create healthy housing options for people to age in place. The backyard proposal encourages independence by designing for walkability while creating opportunities for people to stay within their own community, in a new backyard housing typology. This thesis transforms the typical vehicle accessible laneways in Toronto to create a better and more healthy way of living for all ages, but specifically thinking of the aging population and the potential for new ways of designing socially inclusive and healthy environments for retired living.