Universal design is the design of environments and products to be used by people of all ages and abilities. The goal is to use design to reduce physical effort, regardless of some of the frailties that may be acquired due to an accident, health, or age. EasyLiving Homes[R] is a non-profit organization that advocates making all homes visitable and…

This article describes how Beverly and Martin Ryfa, working with an architect who specializes in accessible design, were able to build a house that is handicap accessible for their 9-year-old daughter, Danielle, who suffered an intraventricular hemorrhage when she was three days old. The article describes the features of their house that make…

When the author was a boy growing up in Van Nuys, California, during the 1950s and 60s, he remembers waiting patiently by the curb so he could help his mother, who suffered from polio and was on crutches, get up on the sidewalk. The world they lived in back then certainly was not designed to meet her special needs, but a lot has changed since…

Public education is one of the central tasks of a democratic society, and the buildings that house this important task not only shape the way one teaches, but provide icons and symbols for the values people hold common as a society. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this context has placed school buildings squarely in a position of debate and innovation…

Traditional factors of educational space design--cost, tradition, control, administration, and status--are contrasted with five new factors--students, educators, imagination, planning, and future utilization. (RAO)

Although violent crime in schools has showed a steady decline in recent years, it remains a serious concern, and administrators are continually looking for more effective approaches to school safety. At the same time, the best school environments are not only safe and secure, but also attractive and comfortable. The right school setting can…

The George W. Woodruff Physical Education Center was designed to exude openness and space which would encourage participation while preserving existing playing fields and programs. Exterior and interior design of the facility are described. (DF)

Outlines how an information company--the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI)--designed a new building to house its facility. Problems and deficiencies in the old work space were analyzed using a rigorous systems approach, and an open-plan system was devised to allow for optimum space utilization and energy efficiency. (CWM)

This workbook, summarizing the major points relating to the particular type of educational building design for primary schools in humid tropical Asia, is basically a check list and a source of reference intended to remind the architect, engineer, or technician of the main points to be considered in the design of primary schools, and to give…

The scope of facilities required for the conduct of research in health-related sciences is governed by the type of work to be undertaken and the physical characteristics of the building, and can range from a simple office to extremely complex laboratories with numerous utility services. Every laboratory should be designed to accommodate--(1) all…

Several aspects of plastics used in the building industry are discussed, and a general information format for specifying plastics in building construction is given. This format includes--(1) description of product, (2) physical properties, (3) design criteria, (4) installation, (5) maintenance, (6) economics, and (7) case histories. Several uses…

This curriculum guide for home economics instructors of eleventh and/or twelfth grade students builds on content received in Home Economics I and II, and provides a 12- to 18-week course of study designed to increase basic knowledge and develop skills in living space and its design, home selection and finance, housing exteriors and interiors,…

THIS REPORT CONSIDERS PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS RELATED TO THE DESIGN AND ESTABLISHMENT OF COLLEGE HEALTH FACILITIES. THIS INCLUDES THE RESULTS OF A STUDY INVOLVING COLORADO, KNOX, AND WITTENBERG COLLEGES IN WHICH PERSONAL VISITS AND EXPERT TESTIMONY CONCLUDED THAT THE HEALTH SERVICES OF SMALL COLLEGES IN THE CENTRAL AND WESTERN STATES WERE SERIOUSLY…

This report considers problems and solutions related to the design and establishment of college health facilities. This includes the results of a study involving Colorado, Knox, and Wittenberg Colleges in which personal visits and expert testimony concluded that the health services of small colleges in the central and western states were seriously…