More than 55 per cent of the world’s population live in urban areas – and by 2050 it’s expected to grow to two-thirds.
The World Bank figures (2021) are contained in a report by the National Innovation Centre Ageing (NICA), which considers the impact of demographic trends on urban planning. Meanwhile, The United Nations calls urbanisation one of four ‘demographic mega-trends’, along with population growth, aging, and international migration.
What do these trends mean for architects, developers and urban planners in the UK? According to NICA… a lot.
The report says we must plan for the quality, not just the quantity, of future urban populations’ lives. It also states that we need to understand the role of urban environments and infrastructure on the health and wellbeing of residents – and, in particular, how making towns and cities liveable for older populations can improve the quality of life for all residents.
“You might not think that the World Bank and United Nations would have a big role to play in the planning of individual developments in the UK,” said Box Architect CEO Graham Place, “but there are lessons there for us all. For example, delivering sustainable, inclusive and affordable retirement properties don’t only benefit the older generation, but also society as a whole.
“We also need to recognise how architecture should be based on the fundamental principal of improving the quality of improving people’s lives. And how, innovations such as modern methods of construction (MMC) can minimise the impact of construction noise, dirt and disruption on local businesses and communities.”
More than 55 per cent of the world’s population live in urban areas – and by 2050 it’s expected to grow to two-thirds.