Third Places for the Third Age

The urban public realm offers the potential opportunity for people of all ages to experience and benefit from the joy, excitement, creativity and fun associated with play. Public open spaces have huge potential to improve the well-being of older people and the aspiration of providing enjoyable public places has been included in many manifestos and principles for urban design (Jacobs and Appleyard, 1987; Project for Public Spaces, 2010). However, the opportunity for joyfulness, let alone playfulness, is lacking in much of England’s public realm, which still has the potential to be transformed from the barely functional to the playful and delightful.