Home as Experience Rethinking Home Design for People with Visual, Hearing, and Mobility Impairments.
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Date
2025-06-11
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Abstract
According to the WHO, 1.3 billion people, one in six globally, live with significant disabilities, yet our built environment rarely reflects this reality. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) advocates for equal rights and protections, while the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) outlines spatial, social, and economic inclusion. However, accessibility in housing is often treated as an afterthought rather than a core design principle.
Most homes follow standardized layouts that fail to consider how individuals with different impairments navigate and experience space. This thesis challenges that norm by designing three distinct housing prototypes, each tailored to the specific needs of visually impaired individuals, hearing impaired individuals, and wheelchair users.
The goal is to rethink what a home means for individuals with diverse disabilities and how it feels when designed around their needs. Beyond simply meeting accessibility standards, these homes will focus on independence, comfort, and sensory engagement. Research shows that 70% of disabilities are non-visible, showing that accessibility is not just about providing physical accommodations but about creating spaces that intuitively support the way people move, hear, see, and interact with their environment.
The design process begins with an understanding of the user's abilities and limitations in terms of moving through space. By considering suitable proportions, materials, natural light, acoustics, and navigation strategies, carefully mapping spatial flows based on each individual's mobility and sensory needs, and by combining technical accessibility solutions with thoughtful architecture this thesis aims to propose three housing models that align with the individual's ability and limitation to achieve a spatial experience that is sensually heightened, functionally seamless, and human centered.
According to the WHO, 1.3 billion people, one in six globally, live with significant disabilities, yet our built environment rarely reflects this reality. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) advocates for equal rights and protections, while the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) outlines spatial, social, and economic inclusion. However, accessibility in housing is often treated as an afterthought rather than a core design principle. Most homes follow standardized layouts that fail to consider how individuals with different impairments navigate and experience space. This thesis challenges that norm by designing three distinct housing prototypes, each tailored to the specific needs of visually impaired individuals, hearing impaired individuals, and wheelchair users. The goal is to rethink what a home means for individuals with diverse disabilities and how it feels when designed around their needs. Beyond simply meeting accessibility standards, these homes will focus on independence, comfort, and sensory engagement. Research shows that 70% of disabilities are non-visible, showing that accessibility is not just about providing physical accommodations but about creating spaces that intuitively support the way people move, hear, see, and interact with their environment. The design process begins with an understanding of the user's abilities and limitations in terms of moving through space. By considering suitable proportions, materials, natural light, acoustics, and navigation strategies, carefully mapping spatial flows based on each individual's mobility and sensory needs, and by combining technical accessibility solutions with thoughtful architecture this thesis aims to propose three housing models that align with the individual's ability and limitation to achieve a spatial experience that is sensually heightened, functionally seamless, and human centered.
According to the WHO, 1.3 billion people, one in six globally, live with significant disabilities, yet our built environment rarely reflects this reality. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) advocates for equal rights and protections, while the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) outlines spatial, social, and economic inclusion. However, accessibility in housing is often treated as an afterthought rather than a core design principle. Most homes follow standardized layouts that fail to consider how individuals with different impairments navigate and experience space. This thesis challenges that norm by designing three distinct housing prototypes, each tailored to the specific needs of visually impaired individuals, hearing impaired individuals, and wheelchair users. The goal is to rethink what a home means for individuals with diverse disabilities and how it feels when designed around their needs. Beyond simply meeting accessibility standards, these homes will focus on independence, comfort, and sensory engagement. Research shows that 70% of disabilities are non-visible, showing that accessibility is not just about providing physical accommodations but about creating spaces that intuitively support the way people move, hear, see, and interact with their environment. The design process begins with an understanding of the user's abilities and limitations in terms of moving through space. By considering suitable proportions, materials, natural light, acoustics, and navigation strategies, carefully mapping spatial flows based on each individual's mobility and sensory needs, and by combining technical accessibility solutions with thoughtful architecture this thesis aims to propose three housing models that align with the individual's ability and limitation to achieve a spatial experience that is sensually heightened, functionally seamless, and human centered.
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Subject(s)
Disability-Centered Design, Visual, Hearing, and Mobility Impairments, Human-Centered Spatial Design, Housing Prototype, Accessible Housing