Demographic transition effects in urban planning and age-friendly cities, Antalya case

Declining fertility rates, advances in technology, and increased life expectancy have led to a rise in the number and proportion of elderly individuals within the global population. These demographic changes, defined as demographic transformation, have brought about significant socio-economic impacts and have altered the concept of aging, highlighting the need for new approaches in urban planning and governance. In this context, age-friendly planning is becoming increasingly important to make cities more livable, participatory, inclusive, and sustainable. Age-friendly urban planning aims to prioritize the needs of older individuals by creating accessible and safe environments, thus enhancing their quality of life and ensuring that both physical and social urban spaces are more inclusive for the elderly. This study explores how the concept of age friendly cities can be integrated into urban planning processes by examining the effects of rapidly aging populations on urban life. The approach known as "age-friendly city planning" adopts policies aimed at improving the quality of life in old age and promoting active and healthy aging. Age-friendly cities promote a human-centered approach, striving to offer better living conditions for all urban residents by ensuring greater inclusivity. Based on this premise, the study aims to contribute to the academic literature and develop policy recommendations for Turkey within the framework of active aging and age-friendly planning principles. Focusing on the implications of population aging, the study evaluates how age-friendly urban planning can improve the quality of life for the elderly in the province of Antalya. The analysis is conducted based on the criteria and requirements defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) for age-friendly cities, with a particular focus on areas such as accessibility, safety, mobility, and social participation. The study area was selected as Antalya, which holds a unique position in Turkey due to having the highest number of age-friendly social facilities, being the first Turkish city to join the Global Network for Age-friendly Cities, and its inclusion in the Raoul Wallenberg Institute's Human Rights Cities Project. Within this context, Bahçelievler Neighborhood in Muratpaşa District was selected as the case area due to its historical and touristic character and its notably high elderly population rate of 31%. By analyzing Antalya's current situation, the study investigates how age-friendly principles can be incorporated into the city and how these principles can contribute to making Antalya a more livable, inclusive, sustainable, and high quality city—both individually and socially—for elderly residents. The study employs case analysis, on-site observation, and literature review methods to evaluate existing academic studies and practical implementations within the framework of age-friendly planning principles. Based on the findings, spatial and social policy suggestions were developed, focusing on how these strategies could be implemented within Bahçelievler Neighborhood. In this direction, the presence of age-friendly city criteria in Bahçelievler was examined using visual materials and maps. Throughout the research, Antalya's current urban planning documents, local government policies, and services provided for older adults were reviewed. Additionally, the current conditions in the neighborhood were evaluated based on WHO's age-friendly city criteria, focusing on key areas such as accessibility, mobility, social participation, and safety. Although the findings indicate a partial integration of age-friendly principles in the neighborhood, significant shortcomings were identified in terms of physical accessibility and the equitable distribution of age-friendly features. The study concludes that comprehensive and well-planned interventions are necessary to balance the preservation of the neighborhood's natural, historical, and touristic assets with the creation of a more inclusive environment for the elderly. As a result, the study proposes age-friendly urban strategies that can be implemented in Bahçelievler Neighborhood, demonstrating that these strategies could help transform the area into a more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable environment. The spatial and social policy recommendations developed in this research are expected to not only address the current needs of rapidly developing cities like Antalya but also serve as a model for the future of urban environments. By adopting a planning approach that respects Antalya's rich cultural and natural heritage, the integration of age-friendly and smart city policies will contribute to the creation of a more inclusive, accessible, and livable urban environment—not only for the elderly but for all city residents.