Universal Home Design Unveiled

What is Universal Designed? 
Ronald Mace, the architect that coined the phase describes it as "the design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design."

A Universally Designed Home is one in which young children, persons with disabilities, those faced with limited mobility due to injury or illness as well as the elderly can all live comfortably and independently. It is truly a home for all ages. While the United States population continues to age, much of the new home construction that has occurred in the past decades has focused exclusively on the "forever young, or Peter Pan design." These homes often have two and three floors, lack bathrooms on the main floors and are completely inaccessible to individuals with limited mobility. While these homes may work well for a family at the moment, they may present challenges as their owners' age or if one of the resident suffers a debilitating injury. Since only Peter Pan remains forever young, the rest of us would be wise to plan ahead for our futures. Universal Design offers options to savvy forward looking homebuyers!

A Universal Design Home, from the design inception works to make the home accessible to all without the need for additional modifications in the future. This means incorporating zero-step entryways, wider hallways and doors, lower countertops, and roll in showers and baths, lower light switches and thermostats, as well as walls that support stability railings. Sound like it might look institutional? Come and see it for yourself! LCTI and the United Way's Lehigh Valley Alliance on Aging invite you to the Open house of the LCTI's most recently built student house. The home features all of the elements key to universal design and accessibility with the modern sophisticated aesthetics you have been dreaming of. 

Come See a
Home Built For All Ages 12pm - 3pm, June 7th & 8th
12pm - 3pm, June 14th & 15th