Designing for Inclusion and Independence

1 Designing for Inclusion and IndependenceAn explanatory guide to support the briefing and design of accessible housing December 2017 Prepared by:Sophie Ryan Summer housing Ltd. ABN 61 617 404 789 PO Box 112, Blackburn VIC 3130 Phone: 03 9916 7939 Email: Website: AcknowledgementsWe wish to thank the following key collaborators for their contribution to the content and direction of this document: Steve Vandenberg Justin Nix Luke Bo'sher, Summer Foundation Queenie TranWe wish to thank these individuals and organisations for providing supporting images.

2 Steve Vandenberg, Starliner Access Designs Sargood on Collaroy and Royal Rehab Lee Wilson, Egress Group Pty Ltd Aja Goddard, BCA Access SolutionsWe wish to thank these individuals and organisations for providing much valued review of this document: Astrid Reynolds Andrew Martel, The University of Melbourne Libby Callaway, Monash University Natasha Leyton, Research Fellow La Trobe University/Summer Foundation John Papworth, JP FireCitation GuideRyan, S. (2017). Designing for Inclusion and Independence An Explanatory guide to support the briefing and design of accessible housing .

3 Melbourne: Summer Housng Ltd First EditionEdition The latest edition of this guide can be downloaded from by Summer housing Ltd. A copy of this report is made available under a Creative Commons Attribution Licence (international)DisclaimersThis document has been developed with our best interpretation of current Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) design Rules, including the interpretation of livable housing design guidelines . Any advice within this document should not be relied The current provision of accessible housing within Australia is significantly below that which is required to meet the practical needs of Australians - particularly Australians living with significant disability.

4 For the residential construction industry to step up in increasing the scale of accessible housing , there is a pressing need for everyone involved in the design and delivery of housing to become more familiar with practical issues relevant to older people and younger people living with and development particularly in urban environments can be complex, with time and cost barriers that must be overcome to achieve quality accessible housing outcomes. Limited practical resources are currently available to designers and developers seeking to enter this space, which outline a design framework in a holistic manner.

5 Particularly apartments as a dwelling-type are a market not yet fully explored within the traditional sector of accessible housing Australia (LHA) was established in 2011 as a partnership between government, developers and the not for profit sector to increase the amount of accessible housing built in Australia. livable housing design guidelines (LHDG) offer straightforward guidance to the housing industry to achieve varying levels of voluntary access within a dwelling; Silver, Gold and Platinum levels provide a framework that can assist every Australian live in a more functional and better designed home.

6 With the arrival of the NDIS, Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) incentives and legislated SDA minimum design requirements that incorporate and expand upon LHDG, Australia is better placed than ever before in becoming a leader in accessible housing . It is crucial that practical working documents like this guide exist unpacking general accessibility features outlined within LHA design guidelines and SDA minimum design requirements in more detail, as well as touching on significant contextual issues such as cost and quality of guide conveniently provides readers with key contextual issues and considerations within the one resource.

7 Explanatory information supports understanding of key themes aimed at producing innovative exemplar projects of high-quality accessible design - in which any Australian would wish to live. The practical division of the document into trades and roles will assist in the design and specification of accessible resource will be an excellent aid to any person seeking to apply LHDG and SDA design requirements to a project, or simply in Designing housing that is more user-friendly for all people. It is very pleasing to view and acknowledge this first document about design , produced by Summer housing - especially as it has potential to assist in establishing a best practice benchmark and clarification for understanding SDA design is a valuable contribution to collective industry knowledge and is one practical step towards bringing accessible design more into the mainstream.

8 I look forward to working with and seeing the evolution of best practice outcomes that may result from this guide, and from the projects and project partners whose innovative work has informed it. Nicholas Proud Chief Executive Officer PowerHousing AustraliaBoard Member livable housing AustraliaPart B Spatial Planning Accessible Dwelling Elements1. Carparking and Transfer Area 652. Dwelling Access, Entry, 69 Letterboxes and Waste Disposal 3. Internal Doors and Corridors 754. Accessible Bedroom 795. Accessible Bathroom 876.

9 Living and Dining 997. Kitchen 1038. Secondary Bedrooms 1239. Secondary Bathroom/ 127 Powder Room10. Laundry 12911. General Storage 13512. Private Open Space 13713. Landscaping 141 Part A Spatial Planning Project TypologyContents About This Guide 9 Unmet Demand for housing 12 How to Use This Guide 15 Legislation and design guidelines 18 Funding Options and 22 design ImpactDesign Values 231. Building Typology 392. Site Selection 433. The Development 454. The Accessible Dwelling 515. Common Areas 536. On-site Support Provisions 61 Introduction4 Designing FOR Inclusion (NOVEMBER 2017) Part C Construction and Detailing Building Fabric Elements1.

10 Walls1452. Ceilings1493. Floor/Ground Surface1534. Door Construction and Detailing1575. Windows1616. Inbuilt Storage/Joinery1637. Window Furnishings1698. Service Fixtures and Fittings1719. Materials and Finishes17310. Colours17911. Fixtures, Fittings and Equipment183 Part D Construction and Detailing System Elements1. Mechanical1992. Secure Access (incl. intercom)2033. General Electrical2054. Lighting2095. Hot Water2136. Automation and Assistive Technology 2157. Fire Safety225 AppendicesSummer housing 231 Further Resources 233 Assistive Products 235 Physical Experience 239 Wayfinding 243 SDA housing Further Considerations 245 SDA Minimum design Summaries 249 LHA Certification 266 Designing FOR Inclusion (NOVEMBER 2017) 56 Designing FOR Inclusion (NOVEMBER 2017) INTRODUCTIONG lossary Below is a list of terms and abbreviations used in this : Australian Building Codes BoardA/C: air conditioner.