Culture&Territories#3

Neighbourhood & City
benefit planning practices. However, for urban planners to develop new, attractive,
sustainable, hi-tech fluid public space is paramount to empower citizens, and engage
them in the planning processes and placemaking. Promoting citizen’s involvement
will likely increase their satisfaction regarding interventions and will generate plans
and projects that better suit the characteristics of the population intended to serve.
If one proposes to think about and create intergenerational intelligent spaces, it is
necessary to understand different uses and expectations in relation to ICT use and
how they contribute (if they contribute at all) to age sensitive spaces. Different
generations are likely to have unique patterns of ICT use across their life as well
as different digital literacy skills. Hence, in order to explore the potentialities ICT
open, and if they can be a tool for compatible activities and promote cross-age
interactions are questions that must be investigated. Also, one should bear in mind
that people’s age may have less importance than a shared interest, and when
working together different generations come to understand each other’s reality, past
and present, and learn to value each other’s skills and experiences (Futurelab, 2008).
Within the present chapter is delineated a conceptual framework for a better
understanding of intergenerational relations. These relations should promote
generational intelligence which is the capacity one has to see the world through
another age perspective that is more likely to emerge in social contexts where
generational cooperation is valued in detriment of competition (Biggs & Lowenstein,
2011). Advocating for urban design and urban policies that promote the intergenerational
dimension of human relationships should help foster social and emotional
understanding among different age groups and diminish generational conflicts
(Biggs & Carr, 2015). The fast penetration of ICT in several life dimensions presents
an indisputable pressing challenge for cities, mediating many social interactions and
adding complexity to the urban space and time experiences. Therefore, when
discussing generational intelligent spaces, it may be critical to add the variable digital
technologies to the relationship between people (young and old) and public places.
METHODS
This chapter presents an initial reflection on what is expected to become a wider
research project. The purpose is to further collect information and gain in depth
insight on both young and older person’s life events and trajectories, memories,
and how they (as different generations) perceive specific events related to the
appropriation of urban public spaces. The aim also encompasses exploring how
public spaces respond to the needs of both generations and whether, there are
opportunities for the emergence of an intergenerational space and if so, how it can
be configured. Unstructured interviews will be conducted with young people (aged
13 to 24 years old) and life history interviews will be conducted with older people
(aged 65 to 84 years old). Simultaneously, it is planned to provide participants with
diaries that should contribute with data regarding daily choices and decisions on the
public space use.
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