Here is an idea we would love to see in the Lowcountry that would benefit our communities in innumerable ways.
In most suburban communities across the United States, much of the urban landscape is stratified. Not only are Americans separated by race and income; increasingly, they are separated by age.
The result is stronger generational divides than we’ve perhaps ever seen in human history. Outside of a visit to their grandmothers, many suburban kids may rarely see an elderly person these days. And vice-versa.
But one suburban Boston community is bucking the trend. According to the the Atlantic’s CityLab, the city of Swampscott, Massachusetts saw a pairing of needs–and efficiencies–when planning its senior center and high school.
“There was so much overlap, and it just seemed to make sense,” architect Philip Poinelli tells reporter Amy Crawford. The city saw shared need for things like pottery studios, arts centers and walking space. So instead of building two separate buildings on two separate parcels of land, they innovated. The Swampcott Senior Center and Swampscott High School share land and facilities, reducing the financial burden on the city.
But perhaps most importantly, the students and seniors interact.
READ MORE: Suburb Reaps Benefits by Combining High School with Senior Center
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