Gerotopia: the rise of master planned communities for retiring Baby Boomers

Abstract

Baby Boomers constitute a significant and growing percentage of the population and as they enter retirement their lifestyle preferences are beginning to have substantial impacts on Australian housing landscapes: on the demand for and supply of housing that caters for the specific needs of this cohort. This paper examines the emerging phenomenon, in Australia, of Active Adult Lifestyle Communities (AALCs). AALCs are age-segregated, master planned, usually gated residential developments, designed for and marketed to relatively affluent and active adults aged between 55 and74. The marketing of these communities is based largely on discourses of risk minimisation and management but they also mobilise specific ideas of 'the good life' and utilise particular concepts of 'home-place' and community. The paper charts the rise of AALCs and describes their impact on the housing landscapes of the Gold Coast.