Committee on Design

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What, exactly, is Universal Design? It's easy to see how places that are user-friendly for those who use wheelchairs can also work for those pulling luggage or pushing baby carriages. But a bathroom for someone who can't hear? A kitchen for someone who can't see? A closet for someone with cognitive limitations? Living and sleeping and working places for people getting old? We design universally, we (try to) sell our clients on the idea, but do architects really get it?

These were the questions on my mind before writing The Accessible Home: Designing for All Ages and Abilities (The Taunton Press, and with a foreword by Michael Graves FAIA). In writing, I traveled around the country talking with homeowners, architects, designers and builders whose work is featured. There are 35 homes designed for, by, and with people with all kinds of disabilities. These include families, couples, and individuals living with MS, AMN, spina bifida, cerebral palsy, polio, TBI, SCI, hearing loss, and low vision/blindness, as well as people aging in place (or intending to). These homes are all around the continental USA (and include Canada and Mexico). They comprise farmhouses, suburban houses, city and country homes, new houses and old ones, single-story and multi-story houses, lofts, vacation homes, and pre-fabs. All were created by architects or designers.

The book has 250 color photos and 25 floor plans - it's enlightening, inspiring, eye-opening. If you haven't yet seen or read the book, please do. It will change the way you think about homes, and the way you work with your clients. Really.

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Deborah Pierce AIA
Pierce Lamb Architects
West Newton MA
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The common usage of the term, "Universal Design", is far from the actual meaning. For example, a universal toilet would have the lavatories both ADA accessible, and suited for a person between 6' and 7' tall. It would have two or three water closets, one for children, one ADA, and one non ADA. There would be a bidet suitable for all users, as well as an eastern water closet. About the only toilet device that can be used by most people is the shower with a pull-down seat.

The height issues also apply to the kitchen. With kitchen users varying in height from under 5' to well over 6' a single counter  height is not universal. Perhaps there could be several heights of counters within a single kitchen.

I have seen in many homes with people in wheelchairs issues with damage to doors jambs and bed posts. While this issue is most predominate with younger chair users, people with difficulty in muscle control or vision issues have similar results.

I have found, when challenged about the term, "universal design", the (mis-) user tends to redefine the term to fit whatever he or she is providing.

So far, I have seen many homes that claim to be universally designed, but none that actually fit the definition.


Universal simply means everything, without limit. Wouldn't be something to have a universal joint in a car that only worked in one direction?


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Charles Graham AIA
Architect
O'Neal, Inc.
Greenville SC
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