On March 3, the AIANY Design for Aging and Architecture for Education committees were pleased to host Arthur Chang, AIA, Senior Project Architect, NADAAA; Matthew Kaplan, PhD, Professor, Intergenerational Programs and Aging, Penn State University; Margaret Sullivan, Principal, Margaret Sullivan Studio; Joyce Weil, PhD, Curriculum Manager, Older Adults Technology Center (OATS), on an engaging and informative panel at the Center for Architecture moderated by Miriam Sitz, Senior News & Web Editor, Architectural Record.

Older adults are the fastest growing age group in New York City, and children 18 and under account for 25% of the city’s population. Mounting research shows that older adults and adolescents benefit from intergenerational educational activities. With a focus on the role of architectural design in fostering these activities, this panel brought together diverse professionals presenting and discussing their work in the field including public libraries, intergenerational communities, university-level research, and programs helping adults learn technologies to live better in the digital age in an intergenerational setting.

“(The panelists) each offered a unique and thoughtful perspective which collectively made for an incredibly engaging event,” says Frances Fox, AIA, co-chair of Committee for Architecture for Education. “The audience was absorbed and engaged and really got a lot of new and important information,” says Brian Pape, AIA, co-chair of Design for Aging Committee. In case you missed it, you can view a complete replay here.