Universal Design

With the growing senior population too, why aren't all apartment parking lots and access to mailboxes Designed accessible? including distance to.

That's a great question.........and.......with the exploding senior population........one that will not only have to be addressed.......but answered.......in the NEAR future ! Things ARE going to change........out of sheer necessity ! Thank goodness !...........peace and love.......Norma

 I have asked that for years now and no one can seem to give me a good answer yet.  All I have been told is it is "standard practice" or "traditional" to have narrow doors and stairs everywhere.  Well, the stairs are a cost thing but the doors cost the same when you count in the wall difference also. I like large doors and accessible areas because when you are moving furniture in and out of a place it makes it a lot nicer.

 

The mail boxes should be accessible, the ones by the road need to be able to drive up to in the mail truck and the ones on the building the postman need to be able to have a cart if they need it on the heavy delivery days.

The main thing that drives design is money. If it cost more to design it acessible, it won't get done unless it's mandated by law. If the cost is equal, you'd think they'd want as many  customers as possible. Until I became disabled, I never gave accessibility much thought. That's the thing about the disabled, many abled bodied will be joining us in time. Abled bodied today, disabled tomorrow. I don't like getting old, but considering the alternative, I hope to get very, very old.

Stephen

Well here I’m told contractors are urged to use universal design when constructing homes. And I’m sure that includes wide doorways.

http://www.universaldesign.com/

I don't think "universal design" is more expensive, just requires more planning, However, it can be used and lived in by anyone...Pao

blondieblue227:

Well here I’m told contractors are urged to use universal design when constructing homes. And I’m sure that includes wide doorways.

http://www.universaldesign.com/

 

Universal Design is one out of how many thousands of comapnies that make designs?  Although there are a few that do think about ADA, they are in the minority.  I was asking the teachers of the drafters why it was not taught into the class like every other law is incorporated.  When I took drafting in High School, my teacher made it a law just like how far the studs had to be.  This was in 1992-1995 and ADA was new (and it was only one school up in Washington State).

ArkanzanWheeler:

  Although there are a few that do think about ADA, they are in the minority. 

 

that's a bummer!

just one more thing we'll have to advocate for i guess.