Quality of life for the growing number of older New Zealanders living with dementia is significantly affected by the daylight environment in their homes. New Levy-funded research, using a methodology developed by a BRANZ Scholarship recipient, will inform practical design and retrofit guidelines.
By including universal design in new builds or retrofits, homes can remain functional as the occupants’ physical abilities change. We begin this new series by looking at accessible design in bathrooms and laundries.
Kitchens, along with bathrooms and laundries, comprise a home’s wet areas and need thoughtful design to make them easily accessible for both the able bodied and disabled.
Open-plan living areas make life easier for people using wheelchairs. We continue our Build accessible design series with practical design advice for houses where stairs and hallways can’t be avoided.
The design and specification of multi-storey housing can have a huge impact on how quickly occupants can evacuate in a fire. Evacuation can be especially difficult for disabled and elderly residents. Good design practice is likely to require going beyond current minimum requirements.
All buildings accessed by the public must have an ‘accessible route’ which is usable by people with disabilities. With an ageing population, designing houses to be universally accessible makes sense as well.
Level threshold access to a home can provide an appealing indoor/outdoor flow and accessibility for all, but how do you achieve this while ensuring weathertightness?
