In Indian democracy, the right to equality plays a vital role in ensuring a fair and inclusive society, promoting peace and a comfortable life for all individuals. You can support this principle with the universal design in home construction. This concept involves a range of principles and practices to create house environments for all individuals, regardless of their abilities or education.
Read today’s Brick & Bolt blog to understand accessibility housing in more detail.
What is Inclusive House Design?
Inclusive design in architectural and house planning practices mainly concentrates on constructing homes that are easily usable by everyone, irrespective of age, ability, or experience. It removes barriers in the built environment to make sure all individuals can safely move and use the living spaces comfortably. Barrier-free design of houses commonly includes wide doorways, step-free entrances, lever handles, and accessible bathrooms. By incorporating accessibility into the design, the house will promote independence and a sense of community.
Universal Design Principles in Action
Before creating a house with inclusive design, you need to consider the universal principles of design:
Equitable Use: It ensures the house conditions are designed for everyone, avoiding segregation. For instance, wider entryways and ramps of homes allow individuals using wheelchairs or those with strollers to enter smoothly.
Flexibility in Design: The flexibility of in-house design will help accommodate a wide range of user preferences. Adjustable furniture and multifunctional spaces, such as living rooms, can be used as sleeping areas to enhance usability for diverse families.
Simple and Intuitive Spaces: The spaces inside the house are designed to make movement easy. By involving clear signs and well-planned layouts, people of all ages can understand different spaces inside the house. For older people, the house can become a comfortable space for easy flow. Totally, the design will be easy to understand, irrespective of the user’s experience, knowledge, language skills, or current concentration level.
Perceptible Information: The inclusive design of the house will include easily differentiable elements such as contrasting colours for different spaces to help residents with visual problems move around and use their space more easily.
Tolerance for Error: It involves careful design of homes to reduce accidents. For example, when you consider rounded corners on furniture, they are safer to prevent injuries in homes with children or elderly residents than sharp-edged rectangular or square furniture.
Low Physical Effort: This easy-to-use house design will reduce the physical strain on users. The design can include lever handles instead of knobs, which will be easy to handle by everyone, including those with limited strength.
Size and Space for Approach and Use: The home design inclusion will involve sufficient space for everyone, with room for all residents and space for easy moving, including people using wheelchairs, walkers, or other mobility aids for comfortable movement throughout the home.
Difference between Universal Design and Traditional Design of House
| Aspect | Universal Design | Traditional Design |
| Main Goal | Ensures accessibility and usability for all, including people with disabilities and aging individuals. | Focuses on aesthetics, cultural significance, and traditional architectural styles. |
| Adaptability | Designed to be flexible and adaptable as user needs change. | Follows fixed patterns, often without consideration for changing needs. |
| User Experience | Prioritizes inclusivity with thoughtful space planning for all users. | May prioritize form over function, sometimes making spaces less accessible. |
| Accessibility | Features like step-free entry, wider doorways, and adjustable fixtures improve usability. | Often lacks accessibility features, making it harder for people with mobility challenges. |
| Kitchen Design | Open layouts for easy movement and multi-user access. | May include isolated layouts with steps, limiting ease of use. |
Essential Features of Inclusive Indian Homes
For the sake of the future and family members with elderly or disabilities, you can build barrier-free homes in advance, encouraging independence and comfort.
Entry and Circulation Spaces
The inclusive design of the house generally includes wide doors (minimum clear width of 900 mm) that can accommodate everyone, particularly wheelchair users. You can design wheelchair-friendly ramps and doorways for better movement in the house. Ramps should be designed with gentle gradients and sturdy handrails to support users during ascent and descent, allowing for safer transitions. The surfaces of ramps must be non-slip, ensuring safe passage even in wet conditions. Also, traditional architectural elements like thresholds can provide smooth transitions from outside to inside spaces.
Living Areas and Common Spaces
Homes should be designed with multiple generations in mind to balance privacy and shared spaces for comfort. These homes should have separate private areas while also providing open spaces where everyone can gather. A flexible floor plan is important. You can include easy-to-reach seating areas, like floor seating, cushions, low seating, or traditional divans, to help people move freely and interact better, follow traditional Indian customs, and allow all family members to sit together comfortably. This design inclusion makes it easy to switch between personal time and family time.
Kitchen and Dining Spaces
When you are considering inclusion when designing a kitchen, it should be designed to be used easily by everyone, including those with physical challenges, to cook and prepare meals independently. One important aspect is the height of the counters. Lower countertops (below 34 inches) make it easier for people who use wheelchairs to work comfortably. Adjustable features, like pull-out surfaces, can also create a convenient cooking area.
Bathroom and Personal Care Spaces
Bathrooms should always be designed to be safe, comfortable, and easy for everyone to use. To create a barrier-free design for the bathroom, include curbless showers (without steps), grab bars for support, and sinks of adjustable heights. The recommended height for toilet fixtures is between 17 to 19 inches to make sitting and standing easier. Bathrooms should be designed to include both modern and traditional options.
The universal design of the house is the modern trend that allows everyone to use the living haven comfortably without any barriers. Regardless of ability, everyone will be welcomed and valued in their family spaces. This trend is still ongoing; if you dedicate yourself and accept innovations, the vision of universal design can become a reality for all. By committing to universal design, we can build a more equitable and inclusive future for everyone.
Mithali Konety