South Korea has entered a super-aged society, with individuals aged 65 and over accounting for 13.1% of the total population (KOSIS). Accordingly, establishing residential environments that secure quality of life for older adults has emerged as a crit...
South Korea has entered a super-aged society, with individuals aged 65 and over accounting for 13.1% of the total population (KOSIS). Accordingly, establishing residential environments that secure quality of life for older adults has emerged as a critical planning and policy challenge. The contemporary elderly population, largely composed of the baby boomer generation, is characterized as as active seniors, who continue to pursue social and cultural engagement after retirement and to develop new lifestyle patterns shaped by economic and cultural affluence.
With the rapid increase in single-person elderly households, demand for senior housing has risen substantially compared to the past; however, supply shortages have intensified relative to demographic growth. Moreover, among domestic senior housing developments, elderly welfare housing is associated with high deposit and rental levels, raising concerns as to whether post-occupancy residential satisfaction corresponds to expectations formed at the development stage.
This study conducts a longitudinal analysis of floor plans from major elderly welfare housing projects developed between the early twentieth century and 2025. Drawing on collected architectural drawings, the research examines temporal changes in spatial configurations and identifies the structural trajectories of these transformations. By classifying plans into common areas and residential units, the study analyzes shifts in spatial organization and floor-area allocation. In parallel, international case studies from Japan, Singapore, and the United States are reviewed to extract comparative insights and policy implications. Based on these analyses, the study proposes community-centered design and operational strategies to inform future senior housing development.
In addition, in-depth interviews with residents and institutional stakeholders are employed to evaluate key challenges and levels of satisfaction in facilities distinguished by well-developed leisure and cultural programs. The research investigates whether the benefits of community use in common spaces at initial occupancy persist over time and identifies determinants exerting positive or negative effects on residential satisfaction, thereby extending the analysis from short-term perceptions to long-term living outcomes.
Ultimately, this study conceptualizes senior housing as a decisive environment shaping post-retirement quality of life. Integrating period-based spatial analyses with qualitative evidence from resident interviews, the research aims to articulate directions for future residential models for aging populations and analytical dimensions to invigorate the operational market. Furthermore, this study aims to propose directions for operational programs that support the realization of long-term well-aging among older adults and to provide an empirical basis for establishing physical design and operational strategies in the future development of senior housing facilities.