The development in question, which is in Bristow, VA, is part of a movement in architecture called "universal design." The homes are designed to accommodate the various needs of people with different ability levels.
Take the front entrance, for example. There is a step up to a covered porch, but there is also a cleverly designed ramp from the driveway to the door. It is very inconspicuous, meets ADA and ABA requirements, and is also handy for someone pushing a stroller. There is also a wide rail near the front door, so that one can balance groceries or a bag while opening the door. The door itself is not just your standard 3' wide entrance door. The sidelite is designed so that it can open as well, widening the entrance from 3' to 4'. That is not only handy for a wheelchair, but good for bringing in furniture, too.
The walls of the bathrooms are built with blocking for handrails already between the studs. Rather than having to tear out the wall to put in blocking, all the owner needs to do is screw in the handrails if they are needed. The hallways and entrances are wider (again, great for moving furniture, as well as wheelchairs), the shelving in the kitchen is designed to be accessible to people of various heights and abilities. There is a pantry which can be converted into an elevator shaft should the homeowner require an in-house elevator (the flooring and joists are designed to accommodate one with little structural impact).
I hope you are begining to understand from this description that universal design is not "just" for one segment of the population. There is much to it that's useful to able-bodied individuals, too. How many times have you moved furniture and wished for a wider hallway or a front door which could swing open wider? I have. Heck, there were things in the model home which I would love to have for my house, and I'm not in a wheelchair.
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regna
(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-25 05:54 pm (UTC)Take the front entrance, for example. There is a step up to a covered porch, but there is also a cleverly designed ramp from the driveway to the door. It is very inconspicuous, meets ADA and ABA requirements, and is also handy for someone pushing a stroller. There is also a wide rail near the front door, so that one can balance groceries or a bag while opening the door. The door itself is not just your standard 3' wide entrance door. The sidelite is designed so that it can open as well, widening the entrance from 3' to 4'. That is not only handy for a wheelchair, but good for bringing in furniture, too.
The walls of the bathrooms are built with blocking for handrails already between the studs. Rather than having to tear out the wall to put in blocking, all the owner needs to do is screw in the handrails if they are needed. The hallways and entrances are wider (again, great for moving furniture, as well as wheelchairs), the shelving in the kitchen is designed to be accessible to people of various heights and abilities. There is a pantry which can be converted into an elevator shaft should the homeowner require an in-house elevator (the flooring and joists are designed to accommodate one with little structural impact).
I hope you are begining to understand from this description that universal design is not "just" for one segment of the population. There is much to it that's useful to able-bodied individuals, too. How many times have you moved furniture and wished for a wider hallway or a front door which could swing open wider? I have. Heck, there were things in the model home which I would love to have for my house, and I'm not in a wheelchair.