DESIGN FOR DUCHENNE. Guidelines for dwellings’ construction or renovation for Muscular Dystrophy-Affected Families

Abstract

The Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a rare disease that affects 1one Boy of about 3500. The first symptoms appear in about 2-5 years and lead to a total paralysis. The current average life expectancy is 25-30 years. The Italian legislation on the accessibility of the spaces is outdated and not relevant to a consumer complex as that dystrophic. The research aims to produce an information and knowledge tool useful both for families and for professionals to inform them on the technological opportunities in the market and tries to suggest the types more accessible based on the current and future needs of boys with DMD. The entire project, which follows the multidisciplinary approach of Design for All, was developed following the methodology of the Quality Function Deployment (QFD), a technique that puts users at the center of the creative project and ideational. The research has also led to a monographic publication published by Franco Angeli Editore.