Low Rise Housing For Older People

Design for the elderly is at the forefront of architectural topics today. Yet, while much has been written about the design of indoor spaces, little work has been done on planning outdoor spaces to accommodate the needs of the elderly. Site Planning and Design for the Elderly specifically addresses this issue, drawing from a large body of original research, current knowledge, and theory to provide the background knowledge and specific information necessary for informed decision making throughout the site planning and design process. More than just a reference on accessibility standards, this volume offers key insights into the needs and concerns of older people in the built environment and presents guidelines and alternatives for responsive site planning and design. Organized in a clear step-by-step format for easy reference, issues and specific guidelines are provided for each stage of the planning and design process within the context of housing for older people. Moreover, architects, landscape architects, urban designers, developers and students will find the topics covered applicable to other settings where older people ore a part of the user profile, such as downtown renewal, hospital, and park planning projects. Numerous illustrations and case studies highlight major points throughout the text. The first sections of this volume provide valuable background information on housing options available to seniors and outline design implications of the social and physiological changes associated with advancing age. Critical design and management issues are discussed, objectives are outlined, and implementation strategies are developed, including methods for promoting wayfinding, enhancing personalization, and maximizing opportunities for social interaction. The body of this volume provides specific guidelines for each stage of development. Site planning areas addressed include site selection, the layout of housing units (including relationships between facilities offering different levels of care), recreational amenities, and circulation systems. Detailed guidelines for the location, spatial configuration, detailing, and amenities of major site components and recreational facilities are also provided. Entryways, parking, patios, rooftop developments, and gardening centers are among the specific areas covered. A brief outline of the major issues affecting use of each site component is particularly useful for making decisions regarding facility provision and for prioritizing development alternatives. Critical detailing and amenity specifications are pinpointed and thoroughly described. Paving materials, signage, lighting, site furniture, and pedestrian street crossings are among those elements examined. A concise overview in tabular form of the major guidelines presented throughout closes this practical volume. It is possible to design a site that will not only enhance the lives of elderly residents, but will be cost-effective and highly marketable as well. Site Planning and Design for the Elderly provides practical solutions to the problems of exterior design for one of the fastest-growing segments of the U.S. population today.

people places Second Edition Design Guidelines for Urban Open Space edited by Clare Cooper Marcus and Carolyn Francis A resurgence in the use of public space continues throughout North America and many other parts of the world. Neighborhoods have become more outspoken in their demands for appropriate park designs; corporations have witnessed the value of providing outdoor spaces for employee lunch-hour use; the rising demand for child care has prompted increased awareness of the importance of developmentally appropriate play and learning environments; and increased attention is being focused on the specific outdoor space needs for the elderly, college students, and hospital patients and staff. Now available in an updated, expanded second edition, People Places is a fully illustrated, award-winning book that offers research-based guidelines and recommendations for creating more usable and enjoyable public open spaces of all kinds. People Places analyzes and summarizes existing research on how urban open spaces are actually used, offering design professionals and students alike an easily understood, easily applied guide to creating people-friendly places. Seven types of urban open space are discussed: urban plazas, neighborhood parks, miniparks and vest-pocket parks, campus outdoor spaces, outdoor spaces in housing for the elderly, child-care outdoor spaces, and hospital outdoor spaces. People Places contains a chapter-by-chapter review of the literature, illustrative case studies, and design guidelines specific to each type of space. People Places has a number of features that can be easily incorporated into the design process: * Clear, readable translations of existing research on people's use of outdoor spaces. * Performance-based design recommendations that specify key relationships between design and use. * Design review checklists that help readers plan and critique designs. * A clearly organized, concise format equally useful to the design practitioner and the design student. The newly revised edition of People Places also includes: * Discussion of accessibility issues, including ADA regulations and the concept of universal design; and of design responses aimed at crime reduction. * Procedures for conducting post-occupancy evaluations of designed outdoor spaces. * Updated and new information on each type of outdoor space, with special attention to hospitals, child care facilities, and campus outdoor spaces where specific advances have occurred since 1990. * A completely new color-photo section and 50 new black and white illustrations. Winner of the Merit Award in Communication from the American Society of Landscape Architects, People Places is an essential working tool for landscape architects and architects, city planners, urban designers, neighborhood groups, and anyone else concerned with the quality of urban open space.