Designing for longevity: financing age-resilient cities


I recently chatted with Matteo Bosco, CEO of Conser Invest, about the future of sustainable investing. One topic stood out: the demographic shift toward aging populations - and its implications for urban development and capital deployment.

The context:

  • By 2050, 1 in 6 people globally will be over 65.
  • Most of them will live in cities that weren’t built for longevity.

Matteo’s lens:

  • He’s caring for his mother today, but the generational contract around aging is shifting.
  • Cities need to support independence, not dependence. This is something people of my generation should think about.

The design response:

  • Walkable, mixed-use neighbourhoods with easy access to daily needs.
  • Social infrastructure that fosters connection and combats isolation.
  • Housing that adapts to changing physical and social needs.
  • Accessible transit and public spaces for all mobility levels.

The capital response:

  • Age-resilient infrastructure requires long-term, patient capital.
  • Blended finance, public-private models, and impact-linked structures can de-risk innovation.
  • These assets align with institutional mandates on sustainability and social equity.

Why it matters:
Cities are platforms for participation. As longevity increases, placemaking must extend across the life course - not just serve the young and able.

The future of real assets

We explore how legacy assets like real estate and infrastructure are being restructured, revalued, and redistributed through emerging financial models and digital infrastructure. For builders and investors shaping the next generation of cities.

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