Universal design online
A new web-based tool aimed at architects and developers champions the cause of age friendly design.
It is hoped that a new online resource for developers, planners, architects and engineers will help promote the benefits of age friendly design.
Developed by COTA NSW, the web-based fact sheets provide information and useful links about transport, urban planning and design, home modifications and universal design.
The guide draws on leading research from the World Health Organisation, the Australian Bureau of Statistics and the Australian Association of Local Government.
Dr Catherine Bridge from COTA’s working group on age friendly environments and the University of New South Wales’s Faculty of the Built Environment, said today’s designs need to consider the demographic changes of the coming decades.
“An age friendly community is a community which supports all people – it is potentially a tool for social inclusion, participation and productivity,” she said.
“Older people want to be valued and supported in familiar environments – our public infrastructure needs to plan ahead to support and enable that.”
Associate Professor Bruce Judd from the City Futures Research Centre praised COTA for developing the information guide.
“With the rapid ageing of Australia’s population appropriate design of housing, transport infrastructure and urban environments has become a critical issue,” he said.
“However information is not always readily available to enable designers and the development industry to assist in this important task.”
