Senior Housing - A New Emerging Typology in the Indian Context for Silver Years
Jan 2026, Vol. 4, No. 1, Issue
Author(s)
Nidhi Dandona (PhD scholar, School of Planning and Architecture , New Delhi, India)
Prabhjot Singh Sugga (Associate Professor, School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi, India)
Abstract
The Age-friendly Cities movement, proposed by the World Health Organization in 2007, has influenced cities worldwide and its impact is now reaching Indian cities. The parameters guided by the “Global Age-friendly Cities: A Guide by WHO” (2007) serve as a way forward for making Indian cities inclusive. Currently, the 60-plus population accounts for 8.6% of India’s population, nearly 104 million people (Census 2011). In the Indian setting where taking care of the senior in the family has been a way of life due to the traditional joint family systems; the typology of housing has also supported the extendable intergenerational format. However, in the last few years, there is a rise in the nuclear family system especially in metro cities. The current Indian trend of senior living in metros is a builder-driven social reform at various locations including Bhiwadi in Delhi-NCR, Chennai, Bangalore, Pune, Amritsar etc. These retirement communities offer some relief to seniors and are homes where elders find their well-being and social group of a similar age along with the promise of comfort and security. The paper covers new emerging typologies in the Indian context as purpose-built housing for the senior population with the aim of “ageing in place”. The Utsav, Ashiana housing in Bhiwadi, Haryana (NCR region) and Anatara senior housing in Dehradun, Uttrakhand, both are new projects introduced in the city for senior living with common amenities. However, these housings are places away from the neighbourhoods where they lived all their lives. The study will document and analyse the diverse needs of the senior population like everyday needs, medical, community, cultural and recreational. The empirical data for the research came from the study of the approach of the housing typology of these mid-rise condominiums covering various aspects of “ageing in place”. These will include the overall design of the housing, facilities offered, social spaces, outdoor spaces, safety & security, health care facilities and places of daily needs. Both case studies are very successful examples and are replicating their similar ideology at other locations. The conclusion of the paper would reflect learning’s from these examples of the new trends and shifts by the current generation of seniors on living an active, independent & fulfilled life in their silver years.
Keywords
Senior housing, senior population, age friendly neighbourhoods, ageing in place, senior living typology, age inclusive city
DOI :
Copyright & Licence
Authors publishing in JAARD retain copyright in their work and grant the journal the right of first publication. Published articles are made available under the Creative Commons licence specified by the journal. Current licence: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Dates
Published: 30th Jan 2026
Received: 15th Oct 2025
Accepted: 23rd Dec 2025
Pages : 119-137
Citation
Dandona, N., & Sugga, P. S. (2026). Senior housing: A new emerging typology in the Indian context. International Journal of Arts, Architecture & Design, 4(1), 119–137. https://doi.org/10.62030/2026Janpaper9
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