A Study on the Spatial Planning Elements of Shared Spaces in Intergenerational Housing Lee HaYeon Advisor : Prof. Moon Jeong min, Ph.D. Department of Design, Graduate School of Chosun University Against the backdrop of population aging, the increase i...
A Study on the Spatial Planning Elements of Shared Spaces in Intergenerational Housing Lee HaYeon Advisor : Prof. Moon Jeong min, Ph.D. Department of Design, Graduate School of Chosun University Against the backdrop of population aging, the increase in single-person households, and changes in family structure, caregiving functions within families have weakened, while physical and psychological distance between generations has widened, increasing the need for intergenerational interaction. Such interaction requires an appropriate spatial environment. In particular, housing is a core space where all generations carry out daily life, and it provides a sustainable setting for unintended encounters through everyday circulation. Accordingly, a spatial planning approach that promotes intergenerational interaction is required. This study aimed to derive spatial planning elements and planning directions that promote intergenerational interaction in the shared areas of intergenerational housing and to analyze their relative importance. To this end, field studies of five intergenerational housing projects in Japan were conducted to identify patterns of intergenerational interaction and derive spatial planning elements according to interaction type. The elements were then reviewed and supplemented through an expert evaluation, and their importance and priority were determined through AHP analysis. The main findings are as follows. First, the shared areas were classified into the interior of semi-public spaces, exterior of semi-public spaces, and semi-private spaces according to their spatial characteristics, and distinct patterns of intergenerational interaction were identified in each area. All four interaction types—planned, incidental, active, and indirect interaction—occurred within the interior of semi-public spaces, whereas incidental interaction mainly occurred in the exterior of semi-public spaces, and incidental and indirect interaction were primarily observed in semi-private spaces. Second, each interaction type was found to be formed through the interaction between spatial planning elements and distinct environmental conditions. Planned interaction was primarily characterized by Social Initiation; incidental interaction by Social Convergence; active interaction by the complementary relationship between Social Initiation and Social Isolation; and indirect interaction by Social Observability. These environmental conditions operated in conjunction with spatial planning elements to facilitate different forms of intergenerational interaction. Third, spatial planning elements exhibited multidimensionality, whereby the same element generated different interaction patterns depending on planning variables such as scale, location, function, and mode of combination. In particular, visual connection devices and multipurpose activity spaces demonstrated the broadest multidimensionality across all four interaction types, indicating that spatial planning elements should be applied flexibly according to the intended interaction type and spatial context. Fourth, expert evaluation refined and validated the spatial planning elements, while the AHP analysis identified their relative importance across spatial areas and interaction types. Planned interaction (0.544) and active interaction (0.267) showed the highest priorities within the interior of semi-public spaces. In particular, the mediating space (S-3) was identified as a key spatial planning element, functioning not merely as a transitional space but as a spatial buffer connecting different generations. Overall, intergenerational interaction within shared residential spaces is facilitated not through the isolated application of individual spatial planning elements but through an integrated planning framework in which spatial planning elements interact with environmental conditions. Furthermore, the multidimensionality of spatial planning elements suggests that diverse forms of intergenerational interaction can be induced by adjusting planning variables according to the intended interaction type and spatial context. These findings provide a theoretical and practical foundation for developing spatial planning guidelines for future intergenerational housing. Keywords: Intergenerational Housing, Shared Areas, Spatial Planning Elements, Intergenerational Interaction, AHP