Biophilic Design for Ageing-in-Place: Charting an Environmental Assessment Framework of Natural Elements in Senior Housing

The physical living environment plays a pivotal role in the success of ageing-in-place. Although various environmental assessment tools have been developed to evaluate residential settings for older adults, many of them prioritise physical safety, accessibility, and risk prevention. However, the psychological, sensory, and emotional perception of the home are also important to overall well-being in later life. Older adults with mobility decline often experience limited contact with the outdoor natural environment, which can lead to sensory deprivation, cognitive fatigue, emotional distress, and reduced quality of life. Drawing upon biophilic design approaches and the specific needs of senior housing, this paper proposes a conceptual framework for evaluating the potential contribution of natural elements to older adults’ living environments. The framework organises assessment into three interrelated dimensions: physiological and sensory support, psychological and cognitive restoration, and social and behavioural engagement. Within these dimensions, natural elements are considered in relation to age-responsive criteria, including visibility, accessibility, safety, maintenance burden, sensory suitability, and relevance to daily routines. This framework provides architects, occupational therapists, and researchers with a structured perspective for considering biophilic design in senior housing. The paper identifies key evaluative dimensions and outlines future development towards scoring rules, resident-reported modules, pilot testing, and reliability and validity assessment. Therefore, it positions natural elements as part of the environmental infrastructure of ageing-in-place and highlights their potential role in supporting comfort, emotional resilience, autonomy, and quality of life in later years.