Architects Share Ways to Build Inclusion Into Building Design

1. Inclusion is a real priority when designing for real people living real days, not just ticking boxes from a long compliance list. I've spent years showing show flats to potential buyers as a District Sales Director at Huttons. The people who point out problems with a design are rarely the young couple. It's often the grandmother of the family who stops at the bottom of the step, the father with a pram who has to back down the corridor, or the sensitive teenager who is intimidated by the loud echo of a large lobby. Get these users involved early in the process - whether it's a focus group, mock-up walkthroughs or even just watching how people move around in homes of similar design to yours - and you'll create homes that not only sell well but also are great to live in. Inclusion is best included from the start of the design process. It can cost more to include later and tends to get 'bolted on' and obvious to potential buyers.

2. Flush thresholds between living room and balcony, and between bathroom and living room. These seem like a minor consideration when drawing a plan, but in practice they transform the way that families view a home. Multi-generational families in particular don't want to have to consider whether 'Mum' will manage in a particular home, and so simple features such as these help to create a home that families can all live in. A home that is easy for parents with prams, for people recovering from knee surgery, for kids on scooters and for people who use wheelchairs too. The best inclusive design does not draw attention to itself and simply removes as many barriers as possible to allow all people to use a space easily. That is what creates trust with potential buyers and cannot be communicated through brochure shots.

Designers need to think about how users with disabilities access, navigate and experience the area they will be in. They do this by assessing accessibility at all levels of the design process - including entrance, route, signage, lighting, acoustics, seating etc., as well as through consultation with users. Designers want their buildings to feel accessible to everyone; accessible enough that an individual does not have to ask for accommodations.

Creating an accessible pathway for navigation through simple signage, consistency in signage placement and design, and making all walkways easily navigable by both those who are visually impaired and those who use wheelchairs or other mobility aids creates accessibility to everyone. The simple act of designing this type of path demonstrates what is meant by Universal Design. When you design a space, there are no barriers as long as it meets the needs of every user.

Inclusion has to be a requirement in the brief, not a review step at the end. By the time an accessibility consultant sees finished drawings, the expensive decisions are locked in. The design decisions that work best for everyone usually come down to choice: more than one way to find your way, get information, and complete a task.

One decision that consistently makes a space work for more people is treating the building's digital touchpoints as part of the architecture. Check-in kiosks, wayfinding screens, and door-entry panels are often specified late, bought off the shelf, and never tested with a screen reader, by a wheelchair user at seated height, or by someone with low vision. When kiosks are placed at a reachable height, offer audio and tactile input, and give a non-digital alternative at the same spot, the lobby works better for everyone, including a visitor with a broken arm or someone who doesn't read the local language.

Inclusion starts at the design stage, not after construction begins. I believe every space should be designed with people in mind. Understanding that everyone experiences and navigates a building differently. One decision is creating open clear layouts, with minimal obstacles making the space safer for everyone. To me great design is not just about how a building looks, but how it will serve the space.

In my work advising homeowners on age-appropriate housing adaptations on Spain's Costa Blanca, I start with how someone actually uses their home. Where do they struggle today? What might become difficult if their mobility or eyesight changes? These questions need to shape the layout before renovation decisions are made.

Physical access is part of that conversation. We also need to consider whether people can see where they are going, understand the layout and operate everyday controls without confusion. Involving the people who will use the space helps us avoid making assumptions about what they need.

One example from my work was replacing a bathtub with a level-access shower, with enough space for someone using a rollator. The important decision was to plan for the person's movement through the bathroom, including approaching and entering the shower. Removing the bathtub alone would not have solved the problem if the new layout had remained too cramped. The extra space can also help someone recovering from an injury or needing assistance.

Another project involved an outdoor lift connecting the house to the pool terrace. The woman living there could no longer manage the stairs to reach the pool. The lift gave her access to that part of her home again. This matters because accessibility should extend to the places where people spend their leisure time and enjoy being with others, rather than stopping at the front door or bathroom.

For me, inclusion starts with understanding which parts of everyday life a person wants to preserve, and making those needs part of the design brief from the beginning.

Christie Dixon, CKBD, CLIPP, Designer, Upscale Remodeling (Ithaca, NY) Design team member since 2018; president, NKBA Central New York Chapter https://upscaleremodeling.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/christie-dixon-17bb94345/

Christie is a Certified Kitchen & Bath Designer and Certified Living in Place Professional at Upscale Remodeling in Ithaca, NY, and serves as president of the NKBA Central New York Chapter. Her answer: "As a Designer, I design for anyone and everyone, not a building or specific room. Designing for people includes safety and function first and foremost. Creating an accessible, first-floor, full bathroom in a home will benefit all inhabitants and their guests. Just be sure that they can get into the house with ease."

Start with the complete journey through a service, before the layout is fixed: finding information, arriving, entering, understanding where to go, communicating with staff, and taking part. Ask people with different access needs to review that journey while changes are still possible. A compliant entrance is only one part of a usable service.

One design decision I recommend is making the step-free route the ordinary public route, with the same entrance, opening hours, and wayfinding as everyone else's. A separate entrance that depends on finding a staff member introduces an avoidable dependency. The same principle applies inside: a visitor should be able to reach the reception desk and use the service from a seated position, while clear signs and plain-language instructions help people understand what happens next.

I assess the outcome by asking whether a person can complete the visit, make choices, and receive the same service without unnecessary intervention. Involve users again before opening, and test an actual visit rather than checking individual features in isolation.