Desiging for All

Continuing on with my soapbox, I like to call "Designing for All."

My whole goal with designing for the aged and disabled is to improve the health, safety and welfare of the inhabitants while still having a beautiful, harmonious and balanced space.

Just because grab bars are used in a bathroom doesn't mean it has to look like a hospital bathroom. New products are available to aid universal design which are highly functional, stylish and innovative. The key is to remain true to "form follows function." All safety measures must be put in place or it would not matter how beautiful your grab bars are if they are not reinforced.  They would fall right off the wall the first time somebody used them.

They must be placed in the proper position so they are convenient to use.  Guidelines for all these aspects  must be followed for functionality's sake. The job of a designer is to also create a beautiful, long-term solution to the problem at hand.

Of course, there is no typical project.  Every site and every challenge is unique and brings about an opportunity to create bold designs which meet the user's needs completely and facilitates their safety while maintaining an integral, cohesive design style.