The Universal Designed Smart Home Office
By Schwab, Charles M.; Special Living Magazine,Publication Date: Spring 2006
Article discusses modifications to accommodate an accessible office for a wheelchair user working from home. Advice offered includes (1) locating the home office at the front of the house and providing a zero-step separate entry with a sidelight, covered porch, and package shelf; (2) adding a fully-accessible powder room or full bath adjacent to the office; (3) ensuring the office space measures at least 10 feet by 10 feet, excluding a visitor’s area; (4) if possible, allowing a separate “comfort zone” with a couch or reclining chair and a table; (5) if the office will also serve as a guest room, including a mechanically-operated Murphy bed in the design; (6) ensuring that the work area receives a reasonable amount of natural light to increase productivity, and placing the desktop facing away from windows to avoid glare; (7) choosing height-adjustable work tables and cabinets with “pull-down” and “pop-up” hardware, and incorporating full-extension hardware, such as Accuride, for drawers; (8) using desk lights such as the 3M Ergonomics task light to provide ample lighting while reducing glare levels; and (9) to ensure fire safety, if there is no separate door into the office from the outside, using one window with a sill no higher than 30 inches above the floor as an emergency egress. A resource list of home office products is appended.
Published by: Special Living (Website:http://www.specialiving.com)
Link to text: http://www.universaldesignonline.com/images/The_Universal_designed_home_office_Spring_2006.pdf
