Growing — Mature Human Living

Growing — Mature Human Living

The proportion of older people is growing in our population, but our society is not designed for the many challenges that inevitably come with ageing. 150 architecture and design students from the Royal Academy explore in the project 'GROWING — Mature Human Life' how to design inclusively for the older population in our society.

The way we design our society is not attuned to the often inevitable physical and mental challenges that arise as we age; be it impaired senses, physical impairments, diminished strength and new needs. The societal challenges the future generation of designers and architects must be equipped to address.

Therefore, the project 'GROWING — Mature Human Life' puts universal design and accessibility on the agenda. It points to the major demographic changes in the Western world that will have a huge impact on the way we design and build in the coming years, and asks the fundamental question: How can designers and architects support an inclusive society for all through design?

The project is a collaboration between the Royal Academy, the Bevica Foundation and the Lonesome Gamles Værn Foundation, where the aim is that architects and designers of the future think about universal design and accessibility for all, as a natural part of their work. At the same time, the goal is that we as a society understand how important it is that we adapt our society to include and face the aging population without prejudice.