Intergenerational Housing - Comparative Study in Finland and Japan

Finland and Japan are among the countries with the oldest populations in the world. This demographic development is causing challenges for the housing and care of older adults. New concepts of intergenerational living have been developed to tackle this challenge. Universal Design (UD) of living environments can provide opportunities for participation and interaction between people across generations. The benefits of shared living arrangements for older adults are related to wellbeing and social support, as well as practical help. Similarly, the sources of social support have been found to have an impact on depression and positively correlated with quality of life of university students. Living with older adults may be an affordable alternative for student apartments. Our research questions are what the current knowledge of the intergenerational housing solutions is and what kind of examples of intergenerational housing can be found in Finland and in Japan. This paper presents a comparative study in the two countries. The comparative analyses shows that different building regulations and practices are used in housing construction targeted to various resident groups. The housing constructions should accommodate the physical and social needs of various population groups during the lifespan of the building. Number of university students is expected to decrease due to low birth rates, and the population age structure is changing. Current building regulations may direct towards solutions, that are not adaptable for future population. UD principles in the built environment promote inclusion of people of different ages and functional capacities which is bases of inclusive and intergenerational communities.