Happy Ageing Lab

Funded by CUHK-SKPF, Happy Ageing Lab is founded in 2021 at School of Architecture, CUHK.

We advocate revamping the design and management of our built environment for healthy ageing by providing participatory R&D services, bridging users and professionals, and fostering interdisciplinary collaborations.

Our interdisciplinary team at happy.ageing.lab consists of architects, urban planners, social workers, and healthcare professionals who are passionate about working towards creating inclusive, supportive, and attractive communities for all ages. At the lab, we take a participatory, user-centred approach to develop innovative housing and neighbourhood solutions to address the challenges brought about by a rapidly ageing population.

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 achieve the following:

UNDERSTAND

Through user- and community engagement (interviews, workshops, and focus groups), our Lab helps clients understand the Silver Market by analysing the needs, aspirations, and challenges of their prospective customers, emerging target groups, and communities at large.

ASSESS

Older adults will be trained as assessors to conduct user-oriented design audits, through which areas for improvement will be identified. Findings will form the baseline to inform solution development. After the intervention, post-occupancy evaluation/monitoring will be conducted to analyse 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.

Our Impact

Elders

One of the critical factors in achieving positive ageing is remaining active. The Lab helps to encourage elders’ further contribution and social participation by diversifying the range of volunteer work and part-time employment opportunities 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 aims 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 investments 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 for interdisciplinary and intersectoral collaborations, which will help develop new areas of service/practice and influence policymaking for the emerging silver market.

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