Can age-friendly and child-friendly urban public spaces be integrated? A systematic review and thematic analysis

Rapid urbanization and demographic shifts are compelling cities to create inclusive public spaces serving diverse age groups, particularly children and older adults. While research on age-friendly and child-friendly environments has advanced understanding of age-specific needs, the potential for physical environments in urban public spaces to simultaneously support both groups remains underexplored. To address this gap, we conducted a systematic review of 64 studies from 2000 to 2024, employing thematic analysis to examine potential integration between age-friendly and child-friendly environments. Our analysis reveals substantial similarities across four key dimensions: accessibility and mobility, safety, aesthetics and natural environment, and land-use patterns. These similarities suggest promising potential for integrated public spaces that can optimize resource allocation in urban settings, yet our findings highlight two critical complexities: first, shared environmental preferences manifest differently in practice (e.g. both groups value natural elements but children seek active exploration while older adults prefer passive engagement); second, certain aspects like noise tolerance and facility preferences reveal conflicting age-specific requirements that could potentially undermine integration efforts. By systematically identifying both integration opportunities and inherent challenges, this review provides insights to guide future empirical research and the design of public spaces that effectively accommodate distinct generational needs while fostering intergenerational interaction.