Lifetime Design Principles - Accessible, Inclusive, Adaptable design
In New Zealand Lifetime Design describes a way of designing products and places that will deliver the greatest ease of use for most people and allow adaptations in the future as needs change. A unique feature of Lifetime Design is flexibility to change the product or place over time according to the owner’s needs and ensure that our communities and homes are welcoming and inviting to all our friends and family.
The 5 Lifetime Design Principles recognise the need for places and products to be ‘fit’ for people - rather than current practice that requires people to ‘fit’ the place or product.
Principle One: Ease of Use
Lifetime Designs are uncomplicated, safe, well suited to their purpose, and can be easily used by people with differing abilities and mobility.
Principle Two: Ease of Adaptation
Lifetime Designs ensure that the place or product can be cost effectively and simply adapted to meet people’s changing needs over time, or to suit different users. Lifetime Design provides practical standards and guidelines for achieving adaptable house that is easy and cost effective to adapt in the future.
Principle Three: Ease of Access
Accessible design and accessible housing ensures that everyone can easily access the place or service and move around freely within it. The Lifetime Design standards pay particular attention to transition points such as pathways and doorways, and access to and from the lifetime designed home.
Principle Four: Ease of Inclusion
Lifetime Design homes are designed to include everyone regardless of age, size or ability. Groups within the home are not segregated by the design.
Principle Five: Lifetime Value
Lifetime Design products and places are not expensive, but they are valuable and remain so over time. What’s more they save the user money, time and energy through effective design. They can be easily adapted for a relatively low cost and are therefore environmentally and economically sustainable.