flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

TOTO tests universal design at the AIA conference

TOTO tests universal design at the AIA conference


May 25, 2011

If you could be 80 years old for 30 minutes—and have to readjust everything you think you know about your own mobility—would you do it?

That was the idea behind TOTO’s Universal Design experience at the AIA National Convention, in which participants donned Velcro bands intended to mimic muscle and joint stiffness. Once assembled, the suit challenged participants to do simple bathroom tasks like get out of a wheelchair and onto a toilet, or wheel up to a sink to wash their hands. Weights around the ankles, stiff bands around the major joints and torso, vision-impairing goggles, and ear plugs that muffled high-frequency sounds ensured that even the act of turning around proved difficult.

Full story

Source: AIA

Related Stories

| Jan 21, 2014

Comcast to build second Philadelphia skyscraper, with Norman Foster-designed tower [slideshow]

The British architect last week unveiled his scheme for the $1.2 billion, 59-story Comcast Innovation and Technology Center, planned adjacent to the Comcast Center. 

| Jan 21, 2014

2013: The year of the super-tall skyscraper

Last year was the second-busiest ever in terms of 200-meter-plus building completions, with 73 towers, according to a report by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat.

| Jan 20, 2014

BUILDINGChicago/Greening the Heartland Conference 'call for 2014 educational proposals' is now open

The conference and exposition will take place September 29-October 1, 2014, at North America’s largest LEED Gold-certified hotel, the Holiday Inn Chicago Mart Plaza. Deadline for proposals is February 28, 2014.

| Jan 17, 2014

Crystal Bridges Museum will move Frank Lloyd Wright house from New Jersey to Arkansas

Numerous architectural experts have concluded that moving the Bachman Wilson House offers its best hope for long-term survival.

| Jan 17, 2014

Australian project transforms shipping containers into serene workplace

Australian firm Royal Wolf has put its money where its mouth is by creating an office facility out of shipping containers at its depot and fabrication center in Sunshine, Victoria.

| Jan 17, 2014

The Starchitect of Oz: New Gehry building in Sydney celebrates topping out

The Dr. Chau Chak Wing Building at the University of Technology, Sydney, will mark Frank Gehry's debut project in the Australian metro.

| Jan 16, 2014

Construction spending for 2013 finishing 5% higher than 2012: Gilbane Construction Economics report

??Construction growth is looking up, according to the December 2013 release of the periodic report Construction Economics, authored by Gilbane Building Company. Construction spending for 2013 will finish the year up 5%.

| Jan 16, 2014

ASHRAE revised climatic data for building design standards

ASHRAE Standard 169, Climatic Data for Building Design Standards, now includes climatic data for 5,564 locations throughout the world.

| Jan 15, 2014

6 social media skills every leader needs

The social media revolution—which is less than a decade old—has created a dilemma for senior executives. While its potential seems immense, the inherent risks create uncertainty and unease.

| Jan 15, 2014

Report: 32 U.S. buildings have been verified as net-zero energy performers

The New Buildings Institute's 2014 Getting to Zero Status report includes an interactive map detailing the net-zero energy buildings that have been verified by NBI. 

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category




Museums

The Tampa Museum of Art will soon undergo a $110 million expansion

In Tampa, Fla., the Tampa Museum of Art will soon undergo a 77,904-sf Centennial Expansion project. The museum plans to reach its $110 million fundraising goal by late 2024 or early 2025 and then break ground. Designed by Weiss/Manfredi, and with construction manager The Beck Group, the expansion will redefine the museum’s surrounding site.

halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021