12/14/2011AEG Associates for the LTC Discussion Group  Presentation by Albert E. Graf, AIA AEG Associates, Annapolis, MD Building a Home Considering Universal Design 1

Who am I and why am I here?  35 years as an architect focused on health care facilities: hospitals & ambulatory care facilities  I am featuring my own home as an example of a practical application of Universal Design principles  We chose to use many of these principles in designing our new home because my wife & I watched our parents age in their homes with physical disabilities and recognized the need to address this in our future aging 12/14/2011AEG Associates for the LTC Discussion Group 2

What are the Principles of Universal Design?  Allow enough floor space to accommodate a stationary wheelchair and also enough room for a smooth U-turn: at least 1965 mm (78 inches) by 1525 mm (60 inches).  Include tables or counters that are a variety of heights to accommodate standing, seating, and a range of different tasks.  Provide shelves and a medicine cabinet that can be reached by persons seated in a wheel chair.  Make sure entry doors to rooms are at least 815 mm (32 inches) wide. 12/14/2011AEG Associates for the LTC Discussion Group 3

Principles of Universal Design (cont’d)  Mount bathroom sinks no higher than 865 mm (34 inches) from the floor.  Install grab bars in the shower and beside the toilet.  Provide a full-length mirror that can be viewed by all people, including children.  Avoid shag carpets, uneven brick floors, and other floor surfaces that could pose slipping and tripping hazards. 12/14/2011AEG Associates for the LTC Discussion Group 4

What does our house look like? 12/14/2011AEG Associates for the LTC Discussion Group 5

How did we apply these principles?  Experience in hospital design gave me lots of knowledge of ADA standards  Key among our design principles was wide halls & doorways & as much open space as possible.  The next slide shows the first floor plan so you can get a sense of how it works… 12/14/2011AEG Associates for the LTC Discussion Group 6

. 12/14/2011AEG Associates for the LTC Discussion Group 7 This is what the floor plan looks like. We’ll focus on the first floor, since the second floor is not accessible. We specifically chose a single level plan as opposed to an elevator.

The house is post-and-beam construction 12/14/2011AEG Associates for the LTC Discussion Group 8

Principles in action  We used Post & Beam because it would give us maximum flexibility in applying several key principles:  It’s one of the best ways to get an open floor plan  It provided enough floor space to accommodate a wheelchair, both stationary and moving  It allowed us to design the kitchen so that it was part of the great room (main living space) and gave us room for wide aisles around the center work island.  Making sure there were wide room entries – or very few doorways. 12/14/2011AEG Associates for the LTC Discussion Group 9

Kitchen & Great Room views 12/14/2011AEG Associates for the LTC Discussion Group 10

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Other aspects of the house that are accessible: the main hallway 12/14/2011AEG Associates for the LTC Discussion Group 13

Master Bedroom Entrance 12/14/2011AEG Associates for the LTC Discussion Group 14

Master Bathroom 12/14/2011AEG Associates for the LTC Discussion Group 15

Master Shower 12/14/2011AEG Associates for the LTC Discussion Group 16

Getting In & Out of the House The rear deck is set up so that it can be easily changed to a wheelchair ramp – and not disfigure the front of the house. 12/14/2011AEG Associates for the LTC Discussion Group 17

Front Access 12/14/2011AEG Associates for the LTC Discussion Group 18 Front steps can easily accommodate a temporary or portable ramp.

Closing Thoughts  Universal Design Principles are becoming more important as the world grays.  It is also important not to “let the tail wag the dog”, so be judicious in selecting those principals that will most likely be of future benefit to each individual.  This approach does two things: It saves money, particularly in the short term and provides decision making flexibility as we age and change. 12/14/2011AEG Associates for the LTC Discussion Group 19

How to contact me  Albert E Graf AEG Associates PO Box 3324 Annapolis, MD /14/2011AEG Associates for the LTC Discussion Group 20