Some homeowners may want to age in place. Others may want to pass the house on to future generations, while others are passionate about environmental sustainability.
All of these point to one thing: A client who wants their home designed for the future.
What does it mean when you design for the future?
Future-focused design is built on the belief that a home can be designed to adapt to changes in climate, energy codes and owner preferences, while minimising its environmental impact. Examples include:
- Universal design
- Flexible Use
- Sustainable design
- Resiliency in design
- Ageing-in-place design
Universal design
Universal Design (also called “barrier free design”) is all about inclusivity, and the recognition that future needs are not always predictable. It is about creating a space which can be used by anyone, no matter their age or ability. The key principles include:
Accessibility This principal focuses on ensuring that all areas of the buildings are accessible, attractive, safe, and easy to use by everyone. To achieve this, it is important to provide enough space to allow people with assistive devices to navigate and open doors. Some examples are step-free entranceways, cabinets and shelves at a level that is accessible by people in wheelchairs or with limited mobility. For Sustainable Architects, visit https://www.quattrodesign.co.uk/architectural-services/sustainable-design/
Easy and intuitive This principle is aimed at removing unnecessary complexity. The user shouldn’t need to spend time figuring out how to get to certain areas in the house or how to use specific features.
Perceptible Information This principle is based on the idea of communicating information in different ways. For example, in a commercial building it could be fire alarms that both use light and sound to direct people to the exits. In a house, this could mean a simpler design that allows essential areas such as kitchens and bathrooms to be accessed directly from the central gathering space (such as the family room), rather than through a maze-like system of hallways.