Architectural Environment as a Factor of Active Longevity: A Cultural Studies Approach

The subject of this study is the cultural dimension of the architectural environment in the context of active longevity. Existing approaches to organizing environments for older adults focus predominantly on the physical and infrastructural parameters of space. The cultural-symbolic dimension, namely the way in which space carries and conveys meanings significant to the individual, remains insufficiently explored. The article examines five cultural traditions (Chinese, Japanese, Scandinavian, Mediterranean, and Russian), each of which has developed its own spatial forms for supporting the well-being of older adults. The author considers such forms as the courtyard (庭院), the engawa (縁側), semi-open spaces of Scandinavian housing (veranda, terrace), the piazza, the courtyard, and the dacha as spatial mediators that are functionally comparable despite differences in scale and typology. The aim of the study is to identify common structural principles of environmental design that are significant for active longevity across different cultural contexts. The research is conducted as an exploratory comparative cultural analysis based on scholarly literature in cultural studies, architectural theory, and gerontology. Each tradition is analyzed according to a three-level framework: the cultural concept of space, its architectural embodiment, and the mechanism of its impact on the well-being of older adults. The main result of the study is the formulation of three structural principles of environmental design. The principle of passive inclusion describes the capacity of a space to allow a person's presence without requiring active engagement. The principle of cultural continuity describes the maintenance of identity through culturally recognizable elements of the environment. The principle of architecturally mediated balance captures a spatial arrangement in which the balance between solitude and community is embedded in the architecture itself. The novelty of the study lies in the fact that these principles have been identified through a cross-cultural comparison of five traditions and cannot be reduced to either the physical parameters of the environment or the individual psychology of the aging person. The findings may be of value in developing culturally sensitive strategies for designing age-friendly environments. The formulated principles are regarded as analytical hypotheses that require empirical verification.