포스트모더니즘 미학을 중심으로 한 시니어 공간 디자인 연구- 국내외 사례 비교 분석을 중심으로- = A Study on Senior Space Design Based on Postmodern Aesthetics– Focusing on Comparative Analysis of Domestic and International Cases-

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

(Background and Purpose) South Korea approaches a super aged society in 2025, social interest and demand for senior residential environments are rapidly increasing. Existing senior housing has prioritized physical safety and functionality, yet has insufficiently addressed emotional stability, autonomy, and social interaction. With the rise of active seniors who value social participation, emotional experiences, and personal identity after retirement, the limitations of protection-oriented spaces have become more apparent. Accordingly, this study reinterprets senior residential environments through emotional experience and identity recovery, seeking spatial strategies grounded in postmodern aesthetics that move beyond standardized, function-centered design. This approach recognizes senior housing as a key driver of quality of life and satisfaction, rather than merely a functional facility. (Method) The research employs postmodern aesthetic principles— multiplicity, relativity, trans-boundary, narrativity, and playfulness—as its analytical framework. Eight cases were selected for representativeness and accessibility, spanning public senior welfare housing, private silver towns, and advanced overseas senior residences. Each case underwent comprehensive comparative analysis of spatial organization, community programs, incorporation of emotional elements, facilitation of reminiscence, emotional stability, and social interaction. The study also evaluates how postmodern aesthetic elements are translated into actual spatial design, comparing strengths and limitations, the degree to which individual senior identities are reflected, and distinctions between domestic and international examples. (Results) Public senior housing generally excels in community formation, social connectivity, and emotional stability, but remains limited in delivering personalized and emotionally rich environments. Private silver towns enhance privacy, sensory stimulation, and playfulness, yet are comparatively weak in narrativity and reminiscence functions.
Overseas best-practice cases exhibit the most balanced application of postmodern aesthetics, effectively supporting identity recovery, social interaction, and memory evocative spaces. These findings confirm the need for emotion and meaning centered design in Korean senior housing and indicate concrete directions for qualitative improvement.(Conclusions) Strategies based on postmodern aesthetics can overcome the constraints of conventional function-oriented design by strengthening identity, social connection, and emotional experience. Senior residential spaces should evolve into meaning-centered places that encompass memories, emotions, and social relationships. While generalizability is limited by the case-based scope, future research should broaden case types and incorporate empirical validation to systematically verify design effects. Ultimately, this research contributes theoretically and practically to improving seniors’ quality of life, fostering social integration, and developing sustainable models for an aging society.