In 2011, the American Institute of Architect’s Design for Aging Knowledge Community conducted its eleventh biennial Design for Aging Review design competition (DFAR11). This report on the DFAR11 describes the changing landscape of today’s senior living industry and demonstrates how the unique and innovative features of the award-winning facilities can serve as a bench mark for others working in the field of senior living.
Universal Design (UD) is an approach to design that increases the potential for developing a better quality of life for a wide range of individuals. It is a design process that enables and empowers a diverse population by improving human performance, health and wellness, and social participation (Steinfeld and Maisel, 2012). It creates products, systems, and environments to be as usable as possible by as many people as possible regardless of age, ability or situation.
