Ageing Cities

Cities are ageing, not only their populations, but also their urban systems. The fabric of cities, from construction materials to urban form, is constantly outdated by new demands and technological advances. Ageing affects both fast developing regions of Asia, and the established and relatively stable cities of Europe. In the Pearl River Delta the unprecedented magnitude of new construction in infrastructure and housing has led to rapid expansion and restructuring of city regions. Attention is now turning to questions of upgrading and transformation of the first waves of urbanization. In the Randstad, urban renewal and regeneration have been at the forefront of debate for many years. In both regions urban transformation in response to ageing cities is seen as an opportunity to improve their prosperity and sustainability. 

The conference “Ageing Cities” will consider the current and future challenges of transforming the built environment in ageing cities. The theme will involve academic, practitioner and government viewpoints and range across urbanism, planning, architectural design, civil engineering, technology policy and urban management. Topics for discussion include new ways of planning and design concerning adaptability and resilience of the built environment, to new technologies seeking for durability of materials, buildings and infrastructure, as well as new management models dealing with complexity and uncertainty of the transformation process.