Residential environments, as providers of diverse human needs and one of architecture’s most human-centered concerns, are fundamental in shaping the elderly’s sense of vitality, which underpins their health, tranquility, and self-actualization. Given housing’s direct and sustained interaction with this demographic, it has become a central focus of architectural and urban planning discourse since the late 20th century. This study addresses the decline in vitality among the elderly within the physical patterns of residential fabric in contemporary Iranian cities. Its primary research question is: “What is the relationship between the physical structure of residential fabrics and the elderly’s sense of vitality?”
This applied research employs a descriptive-analytical methodology, utilizing a mixed-methods approach for data collection. A correlational design was implemented, with data analyzed using SPSS software. Data were gathered through literature review and field surveys (questionnaires) administered to 290 elderly residents in two Qom neighborhoods: one with a villa-based fabric and the other with an apartment-based fabric. Sampling controlled for the independent variable of physical structure while accounting for covariates such as residents’ physical and psychological condition and length of neighborhood residence.
Correlation analysis revealed a strong positive relationship (r = 0.728) between the villa-based physical structure and the elderly’s sense of vitality. Conversely, a moderate negative correlation (r = -0.432) was found in the apartment-based fabric, indicating an inverse relationship between apartment living and vitality. Furthermore, a significant difference in mean vitality scores was observed between the Ensejam (1.93) and Danial Nabi (2.02) neighborhoods. The study concludes that a significant relationship exists between the physical structure of residential fabric and the elderly’s sense of vitality in the studied areas.
