The ideal setup for universal design is being able to live on one floor that’s accessible from ground level without having to navigate multiple stories. Anyone should be able to independently access every part of the home.
First-floor single-story living isn’t always feasible, perhaps due to land costs or higher population density in cities. If that’s the case, think through all the possible scenarios of life at home. We encourage minimal dependency on equipment like elevators or lifts, and safety of being able to exit easily in case of power outage or emergency.