Space as Service Platform
Enabling Lifelong Learning in an Elderly Community
Collaborative Project
Note: The built environment in this project was co-designed with Sihan Zhong and supervised by Dr. Gu Zhe and Zhenyu Cao
during an academic studio at Zhejiang University. Building on this foundation, I further developed the service system.
Context & Design Focus
Future Education in Zhejiang’s “Future Community”: Supporting Lifelong Learning for the Elderly
In 2019, Zhejiang Province, China, introduced the concept of “Future Community” and launched the corresponding Pilot Work Plan, defining it as a people-centered, humanistic, ecological, and digital urban model. Future Communities aim to create neighborhoods that foster belonging, comfort, and a forward-looking lifestyle, integrating nine key scenarios, including education, healthcare, housing, entrepreneurship, and governance.
This project focuses on the “Future Education” scenario, which promotes lifelong learning for all residents. It explores how community spaces can enable elderly residents to engage in learning, social interaction, and well-being activities across multiple scales.
Site Analysis & Design Opportunity
Transforming an Aging Neighborhood into an Age-Friendly, Learning-Oriented Community
Located in a central district of Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China, the site faces an aging population and outdated housing, with most buildings predating 1990 and needing redevelopment. Yet its proximity to Zhejiang University’s Xixi Campus and other schools within the city’s cultural and educational district brings abundant a strong base of education professionals and resources.
Diagrams of the Site Location (Hangzhou, China) and the Buildings Predating 1990
Demographic Analysis (SWGuancha Platform)
Neighborhood Planning
Comprehensive Planning for a Safe, Accessible, and Vibrant Neighborhood
Spatial Form & Built Environment
Integrating Hierarchical Public Spaces to Support Lifelong Learning Across Scales
Rendering of the Neighborhood
Service Touchpoints & Blueprint I
How Can Everyday Neighborhoods Spark Learning, Social Connection, and Well-Being for the Elderly?
The public-domain service layer connects key spatial touchpoints, the Central Neighborhood Spine, Cluster Courtyards, and Semi-Outdoor Cluster Hubs, into a coordinated system. Through these spaces, physical encounters integrate with digital platforms and community management: residents register interests, match with instructors, access shared resources, and provide feedback for improvement. Together, they transform everyday neighborhood environments into active infrastructures that foster learning, care, and social connection.
Touchpoints: Public-domain Service
Blueprint Maps: Public-domain Service
Service Touchpoints & Blueprint II
How Can Home Spaces Enable Daily Learning, Care, and Community Engagement for the Elderly?
The private-domain service layer extends the system into more personal, small-scale settings. At the semi-public elevator lobby, a shared micro hub supports personalized services and resource exchange from borrowing items to collecting learning kits. Inside each home, adaptive furniture and connected devices link residents to neighborhood sessions, remote learning, and on-demand care, sustaining engagement and wellbeing in daily life.
Touchpoints: Private-domain Service
Blueprint Maps: Private-domain Service
Service Ecosystem
Integrating Education and Elder-Care Through Multi-Level Community Spaces to Create an Open Ecosystem
