Gerotopia: Building (retirement) villages for baby boomers

It is well established that Australia’s ageing population will have a critical impact on the economy, the health care service and housing provision. The existing retirement village model is not adequate or appropriate for many boomers as they age and new ‘village’ models are currently being developed. The village idyll, an idealised residential landscape that encompasses both physical place and ideals of community, is at the core of most fully planned housing developments. This ideal underpins a new type of residential development, the Active Adult Lifestyle Community (AALC). The aims of this paper are to explore the impacts of these developments in South East Queensland. The significance of this research lies in providing critical insights into the planning and provision of housing for Australia’s ageing population.