i+D - September/October 2019 - 58

Living by
Design
Universal
Design

The Benefits
of Building for All
The benefits of designing for life, whether for enhancing health
and wellbeing or for encouraging longevity, are surmountable.
As the population continues to both grow and live longer, the need
for housing that supports aging healthfully in place will continue to
rise. Designers incorporating universal design principles, along with
healthy building standards, in the initial home remodeling plans
do not raise significant costs to spatial edits, but, rather, add
compelling benefits to the occupants.
"In 2011, we transformed a home for aging-in-place and added
an attached in-law apartment, with 36-inch doorways and flush
thresholds throughout the home, a widened staircase to allow for
a stair lift, landscaped for graded walkways, added a roll-in shower
stall, provided wall blocking in every anticipated area, and framed
an internal shaft for a future elevator with a stop on the outdoor
patio," explains Robert Marshall, Robert Marshall & Sons, Inc.,
a Massachusetts general contractor. "These changes increased
the value of the house and allowed the homeowner's parent
to live independently."
The entrance to this home,
designed by Bonneville Design,
starts at the driveway and entry
sidewalk, continues through
this 36-inch doorway, and into
an open path of travel to all
other areas of the home.
(Image: Sam Gray)

A research study comparing the costs of remodeling to age at
home and moving to an assisted living facility calculated potential
annual savings of approximately $16,000 b, depending on the various
scenarios that considered home ownership (e.g., mortgage, rent,
condo association fee) and healthcare needs.16 From a specific
case study included in the research, the cost to upgrade a home
to universal design standards could be amortized in 45 months
and enjoyed for years.
These upgrades have been well worth the effort. The aim now is to
help as many people as possible experience these same benefits.

STEPHANIE TIMM, PH.D.
is a senior director at Delos and writes and
conducts research on how design impacts
health and wellbeing. She holds five degrees,
is the recipient of a prestigious Fulbright
scholar award, and is widely published in
both peer-reviewed and industry journals.

WHITNEY AUSTIN GRAY, PH.D.
leads research and the development of
innovative strategies at Delos that seek to
improve human health and wellbeing through
building design, and also is an adjunct
assistant professor at Georgetown University.
She received her doctorate from the Johns
Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health,
and was the first public health professional
to become LEED AP.

SUSAN SUNG EUN CHUNG, PH.D.
is the director of research and knowledge
management at the American Society
of Interior Designers (ASID), where she
investigates the impact of design and
translates research into applicable design
implications-all with the purpose to connect
design and research to improve human
experiences in the interior environment.

58

Learn more about enhancing health and wellbeing through
design at www.delos.com and www.asid.org. Read more
about residential universal design within The Center for
Universal Design's Residential Rehabilitation, Remodeling
and Universal Design publication and through the National
Association of Home Builders' Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist
(CAPS) designation program. Many cities (such as the City of
Irvine, California) also offer voluntary universal design programs
and comprehensive universal design renovation checklists.
For endnotes, please see p. 60.

b

Estimated costs calculated from Massachusetts state averages for fiscal 2014.

i+D - September/October 2019
http://www.delos.com http://www.asid.org
i+D - September/October 2019

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