Research on the Universal Design of Rural Public Spaces in the Context of an Aging Society

Abstract

Shanghai ranks supreme among Chinese metropolises in terms of an escalating elderly population, thereby making the enhancement of their quality of life a universally acknowledged societal concern. Rural public spaces serve as important places to carry out the activities of tourists and villagers . Catering to the physiological and psychological needs of the elderly, respecting their individual characteristics, and subsequently proffering an unprejudiced spatial service for all users, could more effectively gratify the demands of recreation and daily life. The primary focus of this dissertation is the design of public spaces in Shanghai’s Zhonghua village. By conducting an earnest examination of the intrinsics of rural public space and universal design, the urgency of a universally accessible design for public spaces is analyzed. An on-site survey and interviews furnish insights into the current issues concerning the design of public spaces in Zhonghua village, and strategies to ameliorate spatial designs are proposed.