Spatial Requirements for Elderly and Disabled People in the Frame of Universal Design

Abstract

The living areas and fulfilling all the requirements of these areas’ users are very important for designers. Space design for the old and disabled users in the scope of privileged individuals is important from this point. The situation of the privileged individual mass fulfilling their basic needs like shelter, education, working and entertainment in a physically and psychologically unlimited way unlike to the other individuals is exposed as the most important design problem. Designers must pay attention to the user desires and requirements while they design spaces. However, the desires and requirements of the changing/changed body structures of old and disabled people happen to be different from the people without any handicaps in their bodies. In this scope the stereotyped “average dimensions” used in designs are not valid in the spaces with specialized users. In other words, the arrangements without changing their living environments or using the privileged human typologies as design inputs in rebuilt spaces make it possible for old and disabled people to live without detaching from life. The basic target wanted here is with the aim of continuing a life without detaching from their families. The universal design handled in this scope developed a suggestion aiming to expose the ability to continue an equal life with all living creations. In the study the outer and inner space qualities of Konya Selcuk University Elderly and Disabled Education, Care Application and Research Center (EDCRC) project will be exemplified from the point of spatial requirements of privileged individuals.