Articles

Extract from Human Rights Commission website: © Australian Human Rights Commission

ISSUE 2:
Handrails on stairways

Importance of the feature

Handrails are important to all of us, but especially so for people who are blind or vision impaired, people who have a mobility disability (but able to use stairs) and people who have an intellectual disability or brain injury.

Handrails are used to steady and provide guidance as we ascend or descend the stairs. To ensure the stairway is as accessible as possible two handrails are required. This assists those people who don’t have the use of both hands, in which case they may need to use either the left or right hand handrail as they ascend or descend.

Effective handrails are ergonomically designed so that they can be used by all people, especially those with an impairment to their hand or arm function. Continuous handrails that allow a user’s hand to maintain a hold on the handrail without the fixings breaking the grip assists in safe transition throughout the complete journey either up or down a stairway.

The ends of handrails must be designed to reduce the incidence of injury to pedestrians.

Extract from Human Rights Commission website: © Australian Human Rights Commission

ISSUE 1:
Tactile Ground Surface Indicators (TGSIs)

Importance of the feature

TGSIs are used to warn people who are blind or vision impaired that they are approaching a hazardous situation such as a set of stairs, a ramp or an overhead obstruction that they might bump into or injure themselves on.

The TGSIs are designed so that they may be read either tactually underfoot; through the tip of a long cane, or visually because of a high luminance contrast - which means that the colour of the TGSIs stands out compared to the surrounding floor/ground surface.

That space with the yellow stripy lines is there so that a person who has a disability can alight from a vehicle without blocking your access to the circulation roadway.

 When someone parks a shopping trolley or a few motorbikes there, then, more than likely a person with a disability is stuck sitting in their car. waiting for the offender to remove the obstruction, or more regularly, out of frustration are denied the use of the facility and drive home dis-satisfied. Just a little bit of co-operation and consideration is required to remove this barrier.

85% of respondents want to improve functionality.

A great home relaxes you and informs you that you are protected and secure in your comfort zone. A home that doesn't function well creates emotional conflict and anxt as you attempt to traverse all those niggling work arounds you dislike about your present circumstances.

A good designer is empathic to your lifestyle, that is, the designer understands how you relax, entertain, feel safe, need your own space and that designer appreciates what kind of private spaces you need, personally, to face your next challenge outside your home - outside your comfort zone.

A good home takes you on a journey from your arrival to your most private spaces. It takes your visitors from arrival to a sense of wonder and intrigue... they want to see more, but your home specially prevents them from seeing it all, unless of course invited, and then it unfolds from space to space, thrilling your guest at each stage. A good home lets you decide what experience guests/visitors have and the degree of revelation permitted.

How can we assist you to improve the functionality of your home? 

What I like to do is to try and ensure that your design permits a relaxed flow of spaces from entry/public spaces to your private and recreation spaces, whether inside or outside. Taking advantage of a variety of spaces is the key here so that, should you need to, an individual can escape the household without feeling locked up in, say a bedroom with 4 walls, a window and a door. A relaxed flow of spaces, by chance or by design, also provide for the most accessible of spaces for a person with a disability. This is what can be achieved by removing the barriers to every day life.

Read the full article at: Australian homeowner survey reveals renovation desires and designer demand

A dwelling for people with carers.

This type of domestic architecture accommodates a group of unrelated people rather than a family unit and can therefore be public as well as private housing. The building type can include highly specialised solutions to accommodate staff and residents in a safe, inclusive environment for respite, temporary or permanent occupation.

The building type came about from a shift in attitude that attempts to remove the institutionalised model in favour of purpose made dwellings that are interspersed within the community and the encouragement of community interaction. With the closure of large hospital style institutions many people in care found themselves inappropriately placed in accommodation meant for aged car, so a federal government devolution program was instigated to ensure adequate localised care, by local community members that was targeted to the specific needs of those people in care, from the surrounding precinct.

Typically, a group home consists of about 5 residents who are provided with the level care that they, as individuals, need. Usually, there are full time staff in attendance who usually operate on a shift work basis. This provides an interesting twist to design requirements because the development is a house for some and a workplace for others. In terms of design, consideration has to be given to the health and well being of both staff and residents, to their safety and security, as well as being capable of engaging the families and visitors of residents.

At times, some residents may exhibit behavioural issues and the peculiar characteristics of residents, who may have any number of diagnosed medical, emotional and conditional needs must be considered. Care givers use management procedures to ensure the required outcomes are met, however, there is a great deal that the Architect can do to reduce risks and improve manageability. 

Buildings are designed for location in typical suburban residential neighbourhoods and consideration has to be given for reducing any potential loss of amenity on the immediate neighbours caused by reason of the group home. Many of these are designed out by providing a range of internal and external spaces in which to engage residents in a way that does not impact on the immediate neighbours.

FS Architects have designed over forty group homes each designed for particular occupants in mind, each with attributes particular to the residents and carers, but designed in such a way to accommodate the unknown future occupants, and all capable of functioning as a family home should the group home function become redundant.

If you would like to discuss group home design in detail, contact the architect principal.