The European Concept For Accessibility 2003

3.5 Housing

The home is a personal space that we share with relatives and friends. It is here that we carry out activities related to our social and individual development and, therefore, it has to be adapted to our lifestyle and any changes which may come about. Two types of housing can be distinguished:

1. Individual houses: the whole lay-out (garden, entrance, rooms, etc.) is the responsibility of those who live in the house.

2. Housing blocks: here there will be communal spaces (entrance, lifts, passages, stairways, garden, etc.) which should be totally accessible. While the layout of the homes themselves will depend on the inhabitants In both cases, the housing should meet certain minimum requirements: habitability, comfort, safety and the possibility of carrying out activities related to culture and living, such as eating, resting, studying, working and leisure. But, in addition to these minimum requirements, we have to guarantee that every house could be visited by a person with disabilities. So we have to ensure that:

- Doors should be wide enough to allow a wheelchair to pass through.

-At least one of the toilets must allow enough space to manoeuvre a wheelchair.

Houses that fulfil these requirements are called visitable.

It is important to ensure Sustainability, that is, that measures taken to facilitate the well-being of current users does not compromise that of future generations. In this regard, the correct distribution of energy sources leads to better performance for the current user and also reduces the energy consumed by general use and maintenance. In addition, for housing to be sustainable, it is essential to take into account other issues such as recycling, the durability of materials, maintenance and environmental conservation.

In terms of accessibility, it should be remembered that although we may have no problems relating to the living environment when we move in, difficulties may appear, either temporarily or permanently, at some point in the future. Therefore, if we wish to build housing that will last for the entire lifetime of an individual, we need homes that are convertible and versatile.

- Adaptable homes: Can be made accessible by simple and low cost interventions.

- Flexible homes: The design enables the space to be transformed in line with the changing needs of the user (age, changes in the family structure, culture, etc.).

Before bringing this section to a close, it is important to point out that the choice of housing often depends more on their spending power than on the user's needs. Therefore, we believe that the design of all housing should respect the minimum requirements of habitability and take on board the principles of visitable, adaptable and flexible homes, regardless of the building's desired market value.