Research on Behavioral Characteristics of the Elderly in Suburban Villages and Strategies for Age-Friendly Adaptation of Building Spaces Based on New Time–Geography

With the acceleration of global population aging, rural areas face particularly severe challenges due to youth outmigration and uneven resource distribution. Taking Jiashan Village in Wuhan as a case study, this research combines the planning–activity model of new time–geography with Maslow’s hierarchy of needs to investigate the behavioral and emotional characteristics of the elderly and their spatial adaptation requirements. Using GPS tracking of 30 participants, questionnaires (152 valid responses; 73.4% response rate), facial expression recognition, and the stated preference (SP) method, the study classified elderly lifestyles into four types: leisure-oriented, agricultural-labor-oriented, caregiving-oriented, and self-employment-oriented. The results show significant heterogeneity in spatial needs, social intensity, and emotional responses. A quantitative analysis using the multinomial logit model indicates that farmland optimization had the greatest positive utility (+1.5873), followed by the addition of new plazas and leisure facilities, both significantly enhancing satisfaction. A correlation analysis further revealed that prolonged use of farmland, parks, and walking paths was negatively correlated with satisfaction, underscoring the urgency of targeted renovations. On this basis, the study proposes a three-tiered demand framework of “local service–social interaction–personal value”, offering both theoretical support and practical strategies for multi-level and collaborative retrofitting of suburban rural public spaces, aiming to mitigate “aging depression” and promote urban–rural integration.