Design of urban spaces for the elderly and disabled (case study: Shorabil recreation and tourism area)

The growth and expansion of cities and the changes that have taken place in urban plans and landscapes have not had the necessary coordination with the increase in population and the upward trend of people's age and disability. From the presentation and implementation of many projects, it is clear that the needs of many sections of society, including the elderly and the disabled, are not taken into account. Therefore, there are always groups of people who face many problems, including adapting the environment and the lack of a suitable urban landscape, and do not find a suitable place to attend. The elderly and the disabled are among the many problems facing the city. Despite their desire to participate in social interactions and use public spaces, they do not have a suitable urban space that allows them to live independently. In other words, the elderly and the disabled like to prove that they have abilities by fulfilling responsibilities and building social relationships with their neighbors. But do public spaces in our cities meet the needs of the elderly and the disabled and provide adequate facilities for this segment of society? Certainly, many factors such as land use, urban texture, accessibility, attendance, equipment and urban furniture are influential in the design of the city. This study examines the factors and shortcomings of the needs of the elderly and the disabled to create social interaction and presence in public spaces (a case study of Ardabil city of Shorabil recreation and tourism area) and finally according to the rules and standards to design spaces and places. It deals with equipment and facilities appropriate to the needs of the elderly and the disabled, using design software such as AutoCAD, SketchUp, etc.