Reimagining Elderhood project
Community-led housing in ageing populations
The evolving needs of rapidly ageing societies
Following a path taken by many western countries, Europe’s population is rapidly ageing: the EU-27's population aged 65+ is projected to grow significantly, from 90.5 million in 2019 to 129.8 million by 2050.
Yet our housing options have not kept pace with this demographic shift.
Although most people prefer to “age in place” (remaining in their independent homes and communities), nursing homes are still often regarded as the default solution, driven by concerns about affordability, safety, and healthcare access.
“A neighbourhood that is better for elderhood is better for everyone”
How should we then rethink our cities, in light of an ageing population? Self Organised Architecture (SOA), member of the European CLT Network, sought to answer this question through their Reimagining Elderhood project (2022-2024).
Supported with funding from the Arts Council of Ireland, SOA brought together architects, local communities, and different generations of city dwellers to find solutions, from local to more scalable paths, all captured into a film by Shane Serrano released earlier this year. They structured the innovative workshop-based project around three main questions:
What kind of places do we need in order to live well as we age, and how might our neighbourhoods be modified to support ageing well?
Can we take steps in mid-life to imagine the places we would like to live in as we age, and to work together to create them?
How can architects be agents of change and facilitators of new approaches and thinking about how we live?
Project workshops took place across the country, with architects selected through an open call. From the suburban neighborhood of Ballyhackamore in East Belfast to Balbriggan and Cork, the project reflected the diverse socioeconomic situations as well as the realities of everyday life, the bonds within communities, the feelings surrounding elderhood in Ireland today - and, most importantly, the possibilities for action toward ageing in place.
Each workshop gathered different age groups and parts of the community to consider a shared question: how can elderhood be anticipated and integrated into everyday life?
From deciphering current needs to exploring economic diversity and coexistence, SOA’s project demonstrates how community-led housing can support ageing populations. But beyond elderhood, these initiatives invite communities to reflect on both their present and their shared future.
To facilitate this reflection, the role of the selected architects is very unique, and SOA showcases them as a connecting link between communities and their living environments. Back to the roots of the profession, they translate needs into physical spaces, focused on the people and the resources at hand.
Adapting housing stocks to evolving needs
Reimagining Elderhood is also a dive into the lives of people currently living in community-led houses, residents who chose to try something new, with others. Mcauley Place (Naas, Kildare) and the women’s New Ground Co-Housing (Barnet, UK) are two such elderly community projects made of different units, where each resident lives independently while sharing the necessary adaptation for their needs. Since moving into these spaces, the residents’ health has improved - perhaps because of the community living, the better care they receive compared to unadapted homes or nursing facilities, or the independent space that allows them to keep expressing themselves in the way they wish, instead of feeling reduced to their minimal needs.
Indeed, one of the key advantages of community-led housing is its adaptability. Customised features can help residents remain in their homes as they age, avoiding the disruption of moving to a nursing home. While individual home adaptations can be expensive, community-led models enable shared resources and collective solutions, like accessible medical services or home modifications, making ageing in place more affordable and sustainable.
The urge to scale
By enabling people to remain independent for longer, community-led housing not only improves quality of life: it also reduces strain on public systems. As Ireland’s population continues to age, and Europe’s along with it, grassroots initiatives remain vital, but they must now be supported at scale. Without structural backing, even the most inspiring local efforts risk being isolated successes. The time has come for top-down investment to match bottom-up innovation - for the benefit of all.
