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Create and maintain a list of needs for people who utilize wheelchairs

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Create and maintain a list of needs for people who utilize wheelchairs. This checklist should increase your awareness about human-centered design as well as help you justify your design solutions in any project.

Using the information in the mini-lectures and within your textbook readings, begin by setting up a chart and add five rows for each of the design challenges based on the use of a wheelchair. All examples must be of interior issues. Provide solutions to the challenges you have identified. You should complete at least five challenges and their solutions.

Provide the sources used to complete this research.

CHALLENGES SOLUTIONS Floors can be slippery for wheelchairs and can also increase the risk of falling Make sure to have low or non-slip flooring especially in the bathrooms When sitting in a wheelchair, things may be hard to reach Make sure to have an adequate height for cupboards so that it is easy to reach but also does not impede movement Opening may not be wide enough for wheelchairs to pass through Make sure to have opening with proper width so that wheelchairs can pass through easily and have extra space on either side Wheelchairs can damage walls when they hit them Use a material on the walls that will prevent it from being damaged. Maybe only around the foot plate since that is where most of the contact happens Try placing an elevator in the home and if not possible there are electric rails that can be placed. Best option is a one-story home In a two-story home it gets complicated when going up and down CITATION: Daugherty, Aileen. “Designing Your Home with Disability Accessibility In Mind.” What's Cooking with Doc, 3 Feb. 2020, www.whatscookingwithdoc.com/accessible-home-interior-design-ideas-for-peoplewith-disabilities/. ACCESSIBLE & UNIVERSAL DESIGN Mini Lecture – Spewock Accessible & Universal Design • Let's look at the larger picture of the space or building as a whole. • You must have observed that while some buildings are designed with ramps, others are not. • This leads to the inaccessibility of the latter by people using wheelchairs. Accessible & Universal Design • Based on such accessibility-related issues, a new design focus area, called accessible design, came into existence. • Here, the term “accessible design” means that the design should help people of all possible types of disabilities to access public places. Accessible & Universal Design • Accessible design, called barrierfree design, refers primarily to the architectural fittings of public spaces such as ramps, public restroom accommodation, and clearances. • It is mandated by law and is deliberately designed to accommodate those people with disabilities as recognized by that law. Accessible & Universal Design • Accessible design for public spaces has been a legal issue since 1968, with the passing of the Architectural Barriers Act, primarily stemming from the vast number of disabled veterans returning from war. • Eventually, it was extended to address other areas of equal access for services, educational opportunities, and federally funded housing. Accessible & Universal Design • The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed in 1990, and for Americans, accessibility became a law governing all commercial facilities, such as offices, and places of public accommodation, such as restaurants, hotels, theaters, retail stores, and healthcare facilities. Accessible & Universal Design • The terms “universal design” and “accessible design” are often used interchangeably, but there are subtle differences. • Universal design, known as inclusive design in the United Kingdom, refers to a farsighted design approach aimed at accommodating the greatest number of people possible who may or may not have an actual disability with minimal adaptation or specialization to an existing design. Accessible & Universal Design • Universal design goes beyond accessible design, is not limited to accommodation of only the disabled, and is not a law. • For interior designers, universal design is an ethical standard. Accessible & Universal Design • It is an empathetic way of designing that considers the needs of people of all shapes and sizes and the most possible disabilities or physical constraints that they might encounter throughout a lifetime. • Ideally, all homes need to be designed universally so that they are easily retrofitted to accommodate sudden or time-dependent needs when they arise due to accident, illness, or aging. Accessible & Universal Design • Universal design also seeks to address physical limitations and variations due to age, sex, size, mobility, dexterity, equilibrium, and strength. Accessible & Universal Design • Universal design is an ethical responsibility with design challenges not addressed by any law or mandated by any code. • The designer needs to address and overcome these challenges with sensitivity and concern for all users with varied abilities. • It is difficult for able-bodied individuals, who haven't experienced aging, injury, or disease, to understand various physical limitations that can hinder a human being from performing the simplest of tasks. Accessible & Universal Design • The increase in the numbers of aging users has highlighted the need to design for the aging. • Universal design can accommodate the needs of this segment of the population. Accessible & Universal Design • Universal Design seeks to treat these differently abled people with as much equity as possible and to reduce the stigma that a disability or a temporary constraint on physical or mental capabilities can bring. • Other segments of people considered within universal design include pregnant women, people on crutches, or mothers with babies. Accessible & Universal Design • It seeks to treat these differently abled people with as much Three aspects of universal design that we will discuss include designing for: • Aging in place • Visability • Temporary physical needs • These aspects are interlinked and interdependent. QUESTIONS? Mini Lecture – Spewock ACCESS & EGRESS Mini-Lecture Spewock Universal Vertical Access Elevators • In commercial design, the elevator is appropriate for wheelchair accessibility, but it is definitely not recommended for emergency exit (such as during a fire) from a multi-storied building. • Usually, provisions are made for wheelchairbound people to wait in an approved area of refuge until they can be rescued and carried down the fire stairs to safety. Universal Vertical Access Elevators • Elevators can be placed in their own smoke-proof towers, which would include exhaust fans to remove any accumulated smoke and backup power in case of electrical failure. • Most of the time, these elevators are placed on the exterior of a building, as opposed to being in a center core. Universal Vertical Access Elevators • If you have an occasion to specify a home elevator in which there are no codes mandating the size, make sure that you specify one that will accommodate a wheelchair. • It is possible that if a person is currently having difficulty ascending a staircase, he or she will at some point need to use a wheelchair. Universal Vertical Access Stair Lifts • A physically disabled person can also use a stair lift to move from floor to floor, provided the person is able to manage on his or her own at the bottom and top of the stairs. • This can be more dangerous than helpful if the size and design of the stairway are inadequate for the chair and its supporting mechanism. Universal Vertical Access Stair Lifts • In a residential facility, the vertical platform wheelchair lift is primarily used for exterior access and the vertical distance is limited to about 5’. • Codes prohibit using these lifts in new commercial constructions because they are usually not well-maintained and they are often non-functional. • However, it becomes the only viable option when retrofitting an older building that does not have direct horizontal off-street access. Universal Vertical Access • Here are some other special conditions allowed by the code when ramps and elevators are not possible: • For access to stages or platforms or for raised or lowered seating areas in theaters. • For an accessible route to areas having five or fewer occupants and areas that are not open to the general public. • For accessible routes within a dwelling unit. • For access to outdoor dining terraces or sports stadiums. Means of Egress This is the term applied to the prescribed evacuation route in a facility. There are numerous fire-safety codes that define this, specifically in commercial facilities. The specification for residences is more general, especially for already existing buildings. Ensure that there are at least two methods for exiting a house, both of which are not blocked by objects such as furniture. In some jurisdictions, it is prohibited to have these doors swinging out—it is much easier for firefighters to push in a door to gain access to the fire. Means of Egress Means of Egress • It is very possible, depending on the fire's location, that an occupant cannot make it down the stairs or even down the hall. In this case, the windows become the next means of egress. • The escape window should have a clear opening, and it should be no less than 24" high by 20" wide. It should be operable from the inside without keys or tools. • A decorative grille is permitted if it can be easily removed from the inside. Means of Egress Economic Factors • Economic factors are one of the most important considerations when starting a project. These can impact the duration and outcomes of a design project. Economic Factors The following factors should be considered for all projects: • Building Materials: Use building materials indigenous to the area. • Interior Building Components: Use standard sizes or in-stock items for plumbing, electric, doors, windows, and ceiling heights. • Cost of Replacement: Select mid- to high-end materials for a longer life and avoid using low-quality materials. • Cost of Maintenance/Upkeep: Select materials that are easy to maintain and do not require constant cleaning, waxing, or polishing. • Planning for Future: Think about how the client will use the space in future years and add plumbing, electrical, etc., during new construction Universal Design • Universal design has many facets. It handles the needs of the very young to the very old, the able bodied and the disabled, the tall and the short. • As a designer, you will be expected to determine the needs of the user as established by their condition so you can design to meet their needs. You have learned that safety of all users is as critical as accessibility, accommodation, and adaptable design. Although there are lists of potential problems as well as do's and don'ts and probable solutions, these alone do not define universal design. It is based on your ability to care, observe, research, and creatively solve problems. You are being prepared for professional recognition because you are learning to protect the health, safety, and well-being of your client. Summary: Questions?