Designing Intergenerational Spaces:
How My Grandfather Changed the Way I Think About the Future
Most of what I know I learned from my grandfather. He is eighty-one, lives in Turkey, and has shown me what I consider to be the purest kind of love. As a designer, the influence of my grandfather showed me that designing for the future includes designing for the elderly community. The future is mine, but it is theirs, too. My grandfather taught me how to be curious, how to question everything. My interest grew, and I started examining multigenerational aging and how one design can benefit many.
Our world is undergoing a critical demographic transition: the population is aging. Every country is experiencing an unprecedented growth in the number and proportion of older people. According to the The World Health Organization, the population aged 60 years or over is expected to double by 2050. As designers — and society in general — are focused overwhelmingly on younger demographics, seniors often get left out of the design process.
“Sound Circle creates intergenerational interaction in public parks by using the innate power of sound to challenge social isolation in an aging population.”
The second half of life can be a powerful call to adventure that is both frightening and inspiring. For the aging population, loneliness is more than a state of mind: it is an emerging risk factor that has implications for mental health and cognitive abilities. Designing an age-inclusive city encourages bringing the aging and younger populations together to help seniors feel connected to others and promote overall well-being. In particular, parks serve as a place for social interaction and are beneficial for seniors who feel socially isolated and for the youthful who benefit from the wisdom and care of the elderly.
How is it possible to bring the generations together in a public park?
Music. Inspired by my grandfather and motivated by my ability to facilitate inclusion through design, I created Sound Circle. By its very nature, music is universal and one of the most natural ways to feel and express emotions. It is joy that can be heard and felt at any age.
Sound Circle creates intergenerational interaction in public parks by using the innate power of sound to challenge social isolation in an aging population. It offers a unique play experience connecting people to their creativity in outdoor environments. Consisting of three elements, two sound sculptures and one seating unit, interconnectedness and interaction are the key design principles. Sound Circle aims to create a space — rural or urban — where visibility and pure, soothing tones are a gathering force that builds a community accessible to everyone, regardless of age, gender, mobility or mental ability.
Sound Sculptures: Circle of Play
The two Sound Sculptures are easy-to-play percussion instruments. The user does not need musical knowledge or skill as the sculptures are designed to maintain pure and soothing tones, even when played together. Any combination of notes is pleasing for both the players and those listening nearby. The sculptures come in different shapes and sizes and are made from different forms of materials in order to achieve a variety of tones. They are placed at an optimum angle for maximum ease of play by children, adults, the elderly, and people with physical and cognitive challenges.
Seating Unit: Circle of Life
A Seating Unit offers a comfortable resting place for seniors as well as a playful experience for children. As people age, their needs and interests change. Sound Circle treats everybody equally by providing a unique experiences for all stages of life. The half-circle form allows seniors to watch the space while they sit and interact with one another. Considering the importance of comfortability, the structures are all made of wood and support an armrest and backrest for additional comfort in both sitting and standing positions. The seating unit transforms into a slide to capture children’s attention and encourage play, while the low height and grass surface underneath make the slide safe.
Sound Circle can be installed anywhere — public parks, playgrounds, museums, or community centers. It is easy to put in place, requires minimal maintenance, and is designed to work in different sized spaces. With the possibility of adding new elements, Sound Circle has the ability to adapt to diverse communities, new ideas, and inclusive innovations.
Seniors, like my grandfather, have honored roles in society. Most of us can think of at least one elder in our lives who is a nurturer of community, spiritual leader, guardian of traditions, teacher, mentor, or initiator of the young. As designers, we have a responsibility to consider seniors in our designs. Together, as a future-focused community, we can encourage self-expression, support social interaction, incentivize the old and young to spend time outdoors, and motivate people of all ages to create music.
Meltem Parlak is a product designer who is passionate about understanding users need to increase the quality of the user experience. Visit her at https://www.meltemparlak.com.