The Quiet Power of Universal Design & Client Approach

Life is full of inevitability. As the cost of technology, services, and healthcare continues to rise, designers are increasingly asked to fill a widening gap. How can spaces reduce reliance on costly interventions? How can design act as a silent support system, allowing people to age, adapt, and thrive in place? And how do designers prepare themselves and their clients to engage in essential, sometimes uncomfortable conversations about change, ability, and future needs? ASID's National Universal Design Committee presents the Principles of Healthy Living: practical, human-centered strategies. These principles were put to the test in a case study using a classic American housing type: the single-story bungalow. Participants will walk through the lifecycle of a bungalow and see how Universal Design strategies reduce dependency on costly technologies and healthcare interventions while supporting dignity, independence, and long-term usability.