Integrative Neighborhood Design: Enhancing Community Support for Aging Adults

This thesis explores how suburban neighborhoods can be retrofitted to better support aging in place through community-oriented design. As the aging population grows, many older adults express a desire to remain in their homes and communities; however, most suburban environments are not equipped to meet their social, physical, or emotional needs. Using a section of a neighborhood in Roanoke, Virginia as a case study, the project proposes a network of accessible pedestrian paths, layered public and semi-public gathering spaces, and a central gathering space to encourage connection, independence, and well-being. The design framework is grounded in three guiding priorities, gathering spaces, human-centered strategies, and universal design, offering a replicable model for transforming car-centric suburbs into supportive, intergenerational communities.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Architecture

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Architecture

Department dc:contributor.department

Architecture

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Author dc:creator

• Drouin, Jessica Monique

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Borunda, Luis

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Kirkland, Benjamin R.
• Jones, James R.

• Aging in place; Community; Social Interaction; Aging Population

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en

Dc Identifier Other

vt_gsexam:44017

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/134311