Research on Age-Friendly Urban Community Public Spaces

The purpose of this study is to explore renewal strategies for urban community public spaces by analysing the needs of different categories of older adults according to their interactions. The research sample comprises ten communities located in downtown Fuzhou City. By using a questionnaire-based quantitative design supported by field investigation, interviews, and virtual reality (VR)-assisted scenario elicitation, ten communities in the central urban area of Fuzhou were investigated in this study. Older adults were divided into five categories—dynamic self-care older adults, static self-care older adults, dynamic assisted older adults, static assisted older adults, and static nursing older adults—while community public spaces in enclosed, semi-open, and open spatial systems were analysed. As a standardized visual aid, VR-assisted panoramic scenes were used to help respondents to understand spatial functions and evaluate their needs more consistently. The findings highlight significant differences and interconnections in the spatial needs of different categories of older adults. Therefore, this paper proposes three hybrid scenarios—dynamic interaction, pairing companionship, and organisational interaction. Corresponding spatial renewal strategies are developed to resolve discrepancies between supply and demand. The objective is to promote communication and mutual companionship among older adults in urban communities, thus providing valuable insights and guidance for the renewal of public spaces in the context of an ageing population.