Evaluating 15-minute walkable life circles for the senior: a case study of Jiande, China

Walking is the primary travel mode for daily errands, leisure, and accessing local services, particularly for most seniors. Sufficient and diverse facilities within walking distance help improve seniors’ well-being. Countries today face the challenge of providing enough facilities for more seniors a...

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Main Authors: Zhen Xu, Ziqi Shang, Yufu Zhong, Lingyun Han, Mingyu Li, Yihan Yang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2025-07-01
Series:Journal of Asian Architecture and Building Engineering
Subjects:
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13467581.2024.2367771
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author Zhen Xu
Ziqi Shang
Yufu Zhong
Lingyun Han
Mingyu Li
Yihan Yang
author_facet Zhen Xu
Ziqi Shang
Yufu Zhong
Lingyun Han
Mingyu Li
Yihan Yang
author_sort Zhen Xu
collection DOAJ
description Walking is the primary travel mode for daily errands, leisure, and accessing local services, particularly for most seniors. Sufficient and diverse facilities within walking distance help improve seniors’ well-being. Countries today face the challenge of providing enough facilities for more seniors and adopt some possible solutions, such as China’s 15-minute community life circle. Focused on Jiande, a medium-sized city in southeast China, we propose an assessment framework with three dimensions: availability, diversity, and balance among medical, living, and leisure facilities. Using GIS network analysis, this study reveals disparities in facility provision at the household-level between earlier and newer developed urban areas, which are closely related to geographical factors and gated communities. This is common in Chinese cities, suggesting the cumulative effects of urban development sequences. To alleviate and prevent serious service inequity, we propose the following two strategies to achieve an equally walkable city: increasing landscape services to overcome geographical obstacles and implementing open-gated community strategies. Furthermore, the limitations of relying solely on big data to calculate walking routes were noted. This diagnostic framework for assessing city environments for seniors is straightforward yet comprehensive and potentially promotes cooperation between planning professionals, policymakers, and the public.
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publishDate 2025-07-01
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series Journal of Asian Architecture and Building Engineering
spelling doaj-art-de0d0dc61056444a859cfd2aa99223b32025-08-20T02:41:33ZengTaylor & Francis GroupJournal of Asian Architecture and Building Engineering1347-28522025-07-012443160317610.1080/13467581.2024.23677712367771Evaluating 15-minute walkable life circles for the senior: a case study of Jiande, ChinaZhen Xu0Ziqi Shang1Yufu Zhong2Lingyun Han3Mingyu Li4Yihan Yang5Nanjing Forestry UniversityNanjing Forestry UniversityNanjing Forestry UniversityJiangsu Second Normal UniversityNanjing Forestry UniversityHarvard UniversityWalking is the primary travel mode for daily errands, leisure, and accessing local services, particularly for most seniors. Sufficient and diverse facilities within walking distance help improve seniors’ well-being. Countries today face the challenge of providing enough facilities for more seniors and adopt some possible solutions, such as China’s 15-minute community life circle. Focused on Jiande, a medium-sized city in southeast China, we propose an assessment framework with three dimensions: availability, diversity, and balance among medical, living, and leisure facilities. Using GIS network analysis, this study reveals disparities in facility provision at the household-level between earlier and newer developed urban areas, which are closely related to geographical factors and gated communities. This is common in Chinese cities, suggesting the cumulative effects of urban development sequences. To alleviate and prevent serious service inequity, we propose the following two strategies to achieve an equally walkable city: increasing landscape services to overcome geographical obstacles and implementing open-gated community strategies. Furthermore, the limitations of relying solely on big data to calculate walking routes were noted. This diagnostic framework for assessing city environments for seniors is straightforward yet comprehensive and potentially promotes cooperation between planning professionals, policymakers, and the public.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13467581.2024.2367771walking accessibilitybuilt environmentcommunity life circleage-friendly communityspatial analysis
spellingShingle Zhen Xu
Ziqi Shang
Yufu Zhong
Lingyun Han
Mingyu Li
Yihan Yang
Evaluating 15-minute walkable life circles for the senior: a case study of Jiande, China
Journal of Asian Architecture and Building Engineering
walking accessibility
built environment
community life circle
age-friendly community
spatial analysis
title Evaluating 15-minute walkable life circles for the senior: a case study of Jiande, China
title_full Evaluating 15-minute walkable life circles for the senior: a case study of Jiande, China
title_fullStr Evaluating 15-minute walkable life circles for the senior: a case study of Jiande, China
title_full_unstemmed Evaluating 15-minute walkable life circles for the senior: a case study of Jiande, China
title_short Evaluating 15-minute walkable life circles for the senior: a case study of Jiande, China
title_sort evaluating 15 minute walkable life circles for the senior a case study of jiande china
topic walking accessibility
built environment
community life circle
age-friendly community
spatial analysis
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13467581.2024.2367771
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