Usage Patterns and Improvement Strategies for Public Spaces with High Elderly Concentration - A Case Study of Tapgol Park -

Following rapid aging since the 21st century, economic poverty and social isolation among the elderly have emerged as major challenges. Urban parks are experiencing a a concentration of elderly populations. While local governments have established regulations for elderly leisure welfare facilities and promotion of leisure and cultural activities, leisure alienation and lack of programs for impoverished elderly remain significant issues. If left unaddressed, these phenomena could lead to environmental problems and landscape deterioration due to poor management of public spaces. This study aimed to analyze the environmental characteristics and behavioral patterns of elderly users in Tapgol Park to identify problems and derive improvement measures. This study analyzed the environmental characteristics of Tapgol Park in Jongno-gu, Seoul, and the park usage patterns and main activities of elderly users. The park was divided into three areas (Lucky Street, external walkways, and interior park space), and observations were conducted during three time periods (9-10 AM, 12-1 PM, and 6-7 PM) for 20 minutes each. Data was collected and analyzed based on the SOPARC assessment tool by McKenzie & Cohen (2006), enabling a comprehensive evaluation of elderly activity patterns and spatial characteristics. Analysis of Tapgol Park’s temporal environmental characteristics and usage patterns showed that the park provided convenient accessibility. However, cleanliness tended to deteriorate during evening hours, and there was an apparent lack of programs such as cultural events. The park exhibited different user concentration distributions and activity types across different time periods. Particularly, noon hours were dominated by free meal-related activities, with external walkways serving as primary usage spaces. In contrast, morning and evening hours showed predominantly conversational and recreational activities in Lucky Street, with relatively lower user numbers. Through analyzing the environmental characteristics and behavioral patterns of elderly users’ leisure activities and social interactions in Tapgol Park, this study identified several issues and proposed the following improvements: 1) Based on the environmental analysis, benches should be evenly distributed across different areas to prevent concentration in specific zones and alleviate population density during certain time periods. 2) Programs should be developed to facilitate interaction between local residents and the elderly, ensuring the park functions not merely as an elderly-exclusive space but as a venue accessible to various generations. 3) Free meal service times should be staggered, or separate waiting areas should be designated for those awaiting free meals to reduce walking inconvenience caused by narrow external walkways. While Tapgol Park functions as an important third place for the elderly, it lacks an environment that can accommodate multiple generations. Through spatial improvements and effective operational measures, Tapgol Park has the potential to evolve beyond being merely a rest area for the elderly into a core hub for intergenerational communication and community connection.