Hi Lisa

A good topic for debate here.  The first thing I would do is set a scope to include the following (this is not an exhaustive List)

Place (Domestic dwelling or Public space / Public building) eg 1920 3 bed semi-detached house vs a school

The lesser abled person characteristics or ailments eg ALS.  ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) being a very progressive degeneration of nerve cells in the spinal cord and brain

What is require now

What will be required later

Is this a new design or a retrofit.  Sometimes retrofit can be vastly more challenging.  Eg can you fit a lift into a 1920 3 bed semi-detached house


Research technologies that could be installed. eg using a home assistant to control lights

Current Electrical Regulations from BS7671 and Building Control and consult occupation health.



Next stage is to visualise the issues that could be faced or even better is to put yourself in the situation of the person the design is for.  Eg Borrow a wheelchair and try and use it in that space for a day or so, try going about your normal dailly activity?  This is very enlightening if you were to retrofit a dwelling.  What are simple tasks for an abled body person soon become a challenge that would need to be overcome.  Again lets use the example of a 1920 3 bed semi-detached house

Some typical example of this are as follows.
Power sockets in the skirting or just above.  These are difficult to use from a wheelchair.  Same applies for light switches being too high in some properties that have not had a rewire where the electrician has applied the new install rule of 1.2m to centreline of light switch.


Other things that soon become apparent are doorways being too narrow with door handles and locks too high.  The step up or down on the other side of a doorway.  Patio doors or UPVC styled doors have a freshhold at the bottom.

Bathrooms, for this we can look at some existing documents out there for inspiration like
Approved Document M Building Regulations affectionately known by many as Doc M-Pack.  On a retro fit the biggest issue is the space required when a wheelchair has to be considered.  Also is the bathroom upstairs as is so commonly the case in most dwellings.  Then there are further considerations that people with certain illnesses need in the bathroom.  This could be as simple as needing the bathroom considerably warmer than the average bathroom so maybe in the 28 - 32 degrees celcius.  


Kitchens are also very challenging.  Again take a wheelchair down to your local kitchen design showroom like Wren Kitchens (Other brands are available).
Try and use the counter top to prepare food
Try using the hob


There are other things that should be considered to help the people in that space and generally make things easier.  Soft close door in the kitchen or wide paddle light switches throughout the space for people with limited physical strength in the their hands when suffering from ailments like Arthritis.  High contrast items for people with limited vision.  This could be black light switches on white walls.  Black door handles on white doors.  Again a lot of these ideas are dependant on the location, the person.  Most importantly in a dwelling is to try and keep it looking homely rather than a hospital.  

Hi Lisa

A good topic for debate here.  The first thing I would do is set a scope to include the following (this is not an exhaustive List)

Place (Domestic dwelling or Public space / Public building) eg 1920 3 bed semi-detached house vs a school

The lesser abled person characteristics or ailments eg ALS.  ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) being a very progressive degeneration of nerve cells in the spinal cord and brain

What is require now

What will be required later

Is this a new design or a retrofit.  Sometimes retrofit can be vastly more challenging.  Eg can you fit a lift into a 1920 3 bed semi-detached house


Research technologies that could be installed. eg using a home assistant to control lights

Current Electrical Regulations from BS7671 and Building Control and consult occupation health.



Next stage is to visualise the issues that could be faced or even better is to put yourself in the situation of the person the design is for.  Eg Borrow a wheelchair and try and use it in that space for a day or so, try going about your normal dailly activity?  This is very enlightening if you were to retrofit a dwelling.  What are simple tasks for an abled body person soon become a challenge that would need to be overcome.  Again lets use the example of a 1920 3 bed semi-detached house

Some typical example of this are as follows.
Power sockets in the skirting or just above.  These are difficult to use from a wheelchair.  Same applies for light switches being too high in some properties that have not had a rewire where the electrician has applied the new install rule of 1.2m to centreline of light switch.


Other things that soon become apparent are doorways being too narrow with door handles and locks too high.  The step up or down on the other side of a doorway.  Patio doors or UPVC styled doors have a freshhold at the bottom.

Bathrooms, for this we can look at some existing documents out there for inspiration like
Approved Document M Building Regulations affectionately known by many as Doc M-Pack.  On a retro fit the biggest issue is the space required when a wheelchair has to be considered.  Also is the bathroom upstairs as is so commonly the case in most dwellings.  Then there are further considerations that people with certain illnesses need in the bathroom.  This could be as simple as needing the bathroom considerably warmer than the average bathroom so maybe in the 28 - 32 degrees celcius.  


Kitchens are also very challenging.  Again take a wheelchair down to your local kitchen design showroom like Wren Kitchens (Other brands are available).
Try and use the counter top to prepare food
Try using the hob


There are other things that should be considered to help the people in that space and generally make things easier.  Soft close door in the kitchen or wide paddle light switches throughout the space for people with limited physical strength in the their hands when suffering from ailments like Arthritis.  High contrast items for people with limited vision.  This could be black light switches on white walls.  Black door handles on white doors.  Again a lot of these ideas are dependant on the location, the person.  Most importantly in a dwelling is to try and keep it looking homely rather than a hospital.