Engaging Older Adults in Urban Design: Jorge R. Zapata-Restrepo’s Innovative Research at ISBNPA 2023 

Jorge R. Zapata-Restrepo’s presentation at ISBNPA 2023 conference in the symposium ‘Engaging different generations to co-create healthy urban spaces in Europe and Africa’, showcasing his groundbreaking project, EngAGE4Change. This initiative, part of his work with the Health Physical Activity and Sport Research Group at Blanquerna – Ramon Llull University, focuses on involving elderly residents, particularly those in care homes, in co-creating healthier urban spaces in Barcelona, Spain. The project aims to enhance physical activity and reduce loneliness among this demographic, which is often the most sedentary and isolated. EngAGE4Change uses a mix of co-creation methods, such as participatory mapping, photovoice, community walk audits, to document the distribution of care homes, understand the needs of the co-creators, classify the built environment around them and draft an urban space proposal. Zapata-Restrepo’s work emphasizes the need for inclusive urban spaces, highlighting the importance of elderly citizens in urban planning and design. This innovative approach promises to reshape how cities cater to their aging populations.