Book release

LATEST PUBLICATION, March 2011

This is a book devoted to architectural competitions with 26 contributions from eight different countries (Denmark, Finland, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, the US, the UK). These contributions explore various aspects of the use of the architectural competition.

The book is the result of the conference on Architectural Competitions held in Stockholm in 2008. All contributions have been peer-reviewed and the publication has been compiled by Axl Books AB, Stockholm.

Editors associate professors Magnus Rönn, Reza Kazemian and PhD Fellow Jonas E Andersson

SYMPOSIUM AT THE IAGG BOLOGNA, 14-17 April 2011.

The Silver Generation in Scandinavia, bridging the gap between architecture and urban design on the one hand, and ageing, accessibility and elder care on the other hand.

Abstract: Like many regions in Europe and in the western world, Scandinavia is an ageing group of welfare states. In Scandinavia, the proportion of people aged 65 years and older is varying due to national demographic discrepancies; Sweden 17,2 per cent, Finland 15,3 per cent, Denmark and Norway 14,8 per cent, and Iceland with 11,7 per cent. During the 20 th century, the Scandinavian countries have integrated concerns for accessibility and usability for people with locomotive or cognitive problems in their national building codes to include ageing citizens. Yet, the outcome has not always been satisfactory in terms of person and environment fit. While entering into the ageing society – where high age is the recurrent issue on the political agenda – the fit between the ageing individual and the built environment, i.e. architecture and urban design, will be of increasing importance and a vital factor for entering in the papy boom society. The present symposia tries to elucidate these questions by joining three fields of research: 1) research on architectural quality and accessibility and usability as parameters in design processes for the ageing society, 2) research in occupational therapy on person-environment fit, and 3) research in medicine and nursing on dementia, locomotive age-related problems and social support. The common denominator between these different fields of research is the focus on ageing and age-related issues which produces qualitative and quantitative data with the intent to improve living conditions in later stages of life.

Key words: ageing, age-related issues, accessibility, architecture, design, design support.

Chairs and co-chairs:
Chair: Associate professor Magnus Rönn, ArcPlan, School of Architecture, Royal Institute of Technology, KTH, Stockholm, and Professor Susanne Iwarsson, CASE Research group, Lund University, Lund,
Co-chair: PhD Maria Haak, CASE Research group, Lund University, Lund,
Sweden, and PhD fellow and architect Jonas E Andersson, School of
Architecture, Royal Institute of Technology, KTH, Stockholm, Sweden

A. Presentation 1: The architecture competition as a socio-political tool for improvement of built space for dependent and frail senior citizens – Swedish building planning in a retrospect. (20 minutes)

Joint presentation by professor Magnus Rönn, and PhD fellow Jonas E Andersson, KTH, Sweden.

B. Presentation 2: Enabling supportive architectural space for dependent and frail senior citizens – assessing the personal needs and adjustments of built environment. (idea title, 20 minutes)

Joint presentation by professor Susanne Iwarsson, and PhD Maria Haak, Lund University, Sweden.

C. Presentation 3: Architecture for the elderly and frail people, competitions, realizations and outcomes – experiences from Denmark. (idea title, 20 minutes)

Presentation by Mary-Ann Knudstrup, associate professor, Aalborg University, Denmark

D. Presentation 4. Architecture for the elderly and frail people, outcomes and networking – experiences from Scandinavia.. (idea title, 20 minutes).

Presentation by Peter Fröst, professor, Research group Space for Care, Chalmers, Sweden.