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Location: Livermore, Colorado
Building Type: Single Family Residential

Introduction:

When Cynthia Liebrock, designer, consultant and Harvard instructor in the field of accessibility and Universal Design, undertook an extensive remodel of the house where she and her husband live, she was sure to incorporate elements that fostered visitability, adaptability, and healthy aging-in-place.

Perspectives and Goals

As Cynthia Leibrock explains on her website, www.agingbeautifully.org, “People are not disabled by their physical or mental differences; we all have physical and mental differences. We are only disabled when we can’t do what we want to do. Designers have the power to make this difference, the choice to empower or disable by design.” It was this design philosophy that guided Leibrock’s home remodeling project.

The Green Mountain Ranch had to be able to accommodate Leibrock and her husband, both of whom are quite tall, but also remain visitable for children, people of short stature, and wheelchair users. Additionally, the house had to be adaptable enough to become completely wheelchair accessible if needed in the future. In order to support aging-in-place, the house had to incorporate accessibility and safety features as well as actively encourage healthy lifestyle practices like healthful eating and exercising. Finally, all of these elements had to blend into a pleasant and peaceful visual environment.


Design:

Entrances:

 

Circulation:

 

Furniture and Appliances:

 

Kitchen:

 Bathrooms:

 Solar:


Analysis:

Leibrock is currently using Green Mountain Ranch as a show home for Universal Design. She offers week-long seminars at the house that allow participants to see Universal Design in action while earning continuing education credits. Various media publications, including the New York Times, have reported on the home and its beneficial features. Leibrock has also written a book, “Design Details for Health,” that explores the many Universal Design elements that she included in the house.


Project Credits:

Project: Green Mountain Ranch
Clients: Cynthia Leibrock
Interior Designer: Cynthia Leibrock
Photo Credits: kohler.com, docktorpaul@mac.com, Cynthia@AgingBeautifully.org