Ageing and the sensory city

Planning shapes the environment. But it is our senses that shape how we experience the environment. This article examines how senses change with age and how planning does (or does not) create sensory experiences that support an ageing population. Specifically, we intertwine findings from a photovoice study with older adults in Victoria, Canada with the planning, gerontology and related literatures to examine the relationships between ageing, the five major senses (sound, smell, sight, taste, touch) and planning. We outline gaps in the literature and present recommendations to further imbed sensory considerations into age-friendly planning and design.