Designed as an influential preview of innovative, cutting edge solutions to the problem of discrimination by design, the transgenerational house advances the frontier of accessibility beyond the convential boundaries of disability to include people of all ages and abilities.
 Design by James J. Pirkl, FIDSA — Photo by Rodolphe Foucher
The Concept
Driving the transgenerational house concept is the conviction that most houses and household products can and should be designed for use by people of all ages and abilities—without penalty to andy group. Shouldn't the kitchen, dining area, bath, laundry—or a potato peeler—be as readily used by a child with a sprained ankle, an octogenarian with an arthritic spine, or a pregnant thirty-something housewife with poor eyesight?
We think so!
Transgenerational Accommodation
Transgenerational accommodation is not about building specialized "elderly" or "disabled" housing and furnishing them with "adaptive" products. It is about designing residential environments and household products to accommodate the widest possible spectrum of those who would use them—regardless of age or ability.
The transgenerational house removes barriers, extends independent living, provides wider options, offers greater choices, and enhances the quality of life for all—the young, the old, the able, the disabled—without penalty to any group.
The transgenerational House also accommodates those temporary disabilities that most of us acquire throughout out live span, such as falls, sprains, burns, broken bones—even pregnancy—which limit our activities and curtail our independence.
It does so by integrating human-sensitive architecture, appliances, fixtures, products and communications designed for safety, comfort, convenience, accessibility, clean-ability, adjust-ability, ease of use, and bodily fit—transgenerational features that neutralize the aging process.
Project Goals
Our transgenerational house project has three goals:
- First, to demonstrate how transgenerational design can extend independent living for millions of aging people—a number destined to increase dramaticallly as the Baby Boom generation ages toward retirement.
- Second, to inform the general public about the advantages of transgenerational accommodation in housing, houseold products and interior environments.
- Third, to stimulate consumer demand by communicating the competitive advantages of transgenerational design to the home building, remodeling, and household product industries.
House Description
The 2700 square-foot plan of our transgenerational house emphasizes livability over raw square footage. Based on the premise that accessible, "universal" housing need not look "institutional" nor imply "aging," its design is upbeat and contemporary, and attractive to young as well as older residents. Its major areas open onto an accessible central courtyard "oases" creating an interplay of indoor and outdoor living.
The house is built on an acre+ lot in Placitas, New Mexico, an upscale residental community. The site features an elevated plateau with southwestern vegetation and scattered juniper trees. It commands a magnificent and dramatic view of the Sandia Mountains and a sweeping horizon of mesas and plains beyond the Rio Grande river.
The transgenerational house features a wide range of cutting-edge architectural components, and top-of-the-line appliances, products and fixtures. All are designed to accommodate te widest range of ages and abilities—the essence of transgenerational design.
We can help you design a transgenerational environment or household product that is equally attractive and accommodating to users of all ages and abilities.
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