Urban space and aging

Between islands of accessibility and the right to the city

Abstract

Contemporary urban centers face increasing challenges associated with population growth and aging, which requires rethinking urban planning from an inclusive perspective. This research is based on the understanding of the city as a plural space, composed of multiple layers, highlighting here the inclusive city for all ages. In this layer, the right to the city is directly related to barrier-free mobility, the use and appropriation of urban spaces, and active social participation. The study reveals accessibility islands as a strategy adopted in the urban planning of the inclusive city, evaluating its potential to guarantee — or, paradoxically, limit — the right to the city of the elderly population. The research, inserted in the literature review of an ongoing thesis, uses a qualitative approach based on theoretical analysis and synthesis. Although accessibility islands represent a step forward in inclusion, they can also perpetuate segregation by restricting accessibility to specific and localized areas, instead of integrating it broadly and continuously. This finding reinforces the need to rethink urban policies from a universal and integrative perspective, suggesting for future research on urban accessibility and aging, an in-depth analysis of the impacts of implementing this strategy in the urban and social context.