| A literature review was performed to research the meaning of home, supportive design techniques, and appropriate methods of investigating the relationship between people and the built environment. The literature review punctuates the importance of designing both meaningful and supportive built spaces.; Utilising the exploratory case study method, and qualitative interviewing technique, I utilised a flexible and iterative methodology in exploring the two housing options to investigate how supportive physical design and the concepts of home can be integrated to provide a built space which is both physically supportive and meaningful.; My guiding theoretical framework is an amalgamation of principles, drawing largely on universal design, user friendly design, environmental gerontology, and principles of how meaning is created in built space.; The physical design was analysed by reviewing the findings from direct observation, and comparing them to design characteristics with my guiding theoretical framework.; My Masters Degree Project culminated in the creation of the Design Indicators Reference Tool (D.I.R.T.), intended to guide designers and developers in the design process, with the goal of designing supportive and meaningful built spaces. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)... |
