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Universal design is design for life. The goal is safe and independent living for just about anyone, any age, any size and any ability. With thoughtful planning and product choices for a new home, universal design can be achieved at little or no extra cost. It is usually very costly to modify a standard home designed for the average-size, able-bodied adult -- a description no one fits throughout life.
Visitability
Could a relative or friend who uses a wheelchair or walker visit you in your home? Could he or she get to and through a door? The living room? A bathroom? What if a family member broke a leg? The concept of making your home “visitable” by people with disabilities is a way to reduce the social isolation of relatives and friends who can’t climb a step. It’s also insurance that you will be able to live comfortably in your own home if temporarily you're disabled.
Every new home should be designed to be at least “visitable,” with the following: a minimum of 32-inch clear doorways to the living room and one bathroom; no steps within the home to those areas; one bathroom with a 5 foot turning circle for someone using a wheelchair; and a grade level or ramped entry path and doorway, if possible.
If your home will be elevated (such as in flood zones) and a ramp is not feasible at the time, still consider visitability. Develop a plan of how to best design your home so someone with a disability could be assisted into it and where a ramp or lift could be added if needed in the future.
Universal features
The checklist of universal features provides basic guidelines for design details that are convenient and helpful in any home, without making it look institutional or specialized for a specific disability. Universal design considers the safety and needs of children, short and tall people (both seated or standing), people with visual impairments, dexterity impairments (arthritis, etc.) and the potential need for a walker or wheelchair by a family member or visitor.
Many features are merely placement and style choices. The recommended space clearances create better functional workflows and make it easier to move furniture. With open planning and minimal corridor space, the minimum clearances can be achieved with little or no increase of the total floor-plan area. It’s more about thoughtful design than adding size or extras.
There are numerous sources of more information on universal design and accessible design, including The Center for Universal Design (www.design.ncsu.edu/cud/).
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