Principles of neuroarchitecture in the city: Insights into urban ageing through photoproduction

Given that over 50% of the global population resides in urban environments, more rigorous methods are essential to address social and health inequities that urban environments maintain, despite their potential to offer both economic and social possibilities. Thus, it is critical to adopt innovative approaches to address the inequalities while considering the complex relationship between the built environment and human well-being. For achieving spatial justice, an interdisciplinary field that integrates neuroscientific knowledge within design principles is needed. This study, particularly integrating the WHO’s dementia-inclusive cities model into neuroarchitecture, seeks to develop guidelines on how to improve the overall quality of life by enhancing the safety and accessibility for older adults, especially those with dementia. This paper presents a case study conducted in Wrocław, Poland, where the photoproduction methodology has been used to analyse urban ageing with attention to both the visible elements captured in the photographs and the underlying reasons. One of the key themes that emerged from the analysis was spatial justice coupled with cognitive accessibility, suggesting that urban design can alleviate the daily challenges of older adults. Results put emphasis on practical ways to apply neuroarchitectural approaches in urban design and provide insight into how the challenges linked to a sense of safety and security can be overcome in the ageing urban population.