Description

Making houses accessible to all ages and abilities is logical, but this often doesn’t feature on the designer’s or client’s radar.

This compilation of articles from Build magazine provides comprehensive advice on how to make houses universally accessible.

UNIVERSAL DESIGN is accessible design, lifetime design and futureproofing all describe similar design concepts that involve:

• making buildings safer and easier to use for everyone all of the time – this is all people of all abilities at any stage of life, including young children and people with limited mobility, temporary injuries or permanent disabilities
• designing new homes so they accommodate the changing needs of people as they age.

Universal design features allow people to continue to live independently in their own home as they age, regardless of their physical ability, health or age.

In essence, universal design is inclusive design.