Rebecca Cavicchia

In Japan, the growing number of older people who live alone has made it increasingly difficult for them to find rental housing. Landlords may hesitate because of concerns about isolation and changes in a tenant’s daily life. Tsukuba, one of Japan’s leading science and technology cities, sees this as a challenge that extends beyond housing. It concerns health, security, and human connection. Under the Tsukuba Super Science City initiative, the city aims to use residents’ insights, big data, and advanced technology to expand everyday choices and build an inclusive future city, where housing is better connected to services, community support and residents’ daily needs. This session will explore Tsukuba’s approach to connecting housing, health, and community support, so that older residents and others can continue to live safely and comfortably in the communities they know, while contributing to more inclusive, connected and liveable neighbourhoods that support ageing in place.

Growing housing supply does not always mean expanding cities outward. Densification and mixed-use development can help cities make better use of land, expand housing options, and create more liveable neighbourhoods, but denser cities are not automatically more equitable. If not carefully planned, intensification can accelerate displacement, strain public services, and generate social tensions in existing communities. The session will explore what successful densification looks like in practice, and how cities can integrate affordable housing, public space, and essential services into denser development patterns while maintaining social cohesion and neighbourhood stability.