Design for Aging

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The mission of the AIA Design for Aging (DFA) Knowledge Community is to foster design innovation and disseminate knowledge necessary to enhance the built environment and quality of life for an aging society. This includes relevant research on characteristics, planning and costs associated with innovative design for aging. In addition, DFA provides outcome data on the value of these design solutions and environments. 

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AIA Design for Aging Review Design Competition - Feedback Requested

  • 1.  AIA Design for Aging Review Design Competition - Feedback Requested

    Posted 03-16-2018 12:05 PM

    To help AIA DFA leadership better understand how we can best serve the senior living industry and how we can make the biannual DFAR the most rewarding for those who submit (and for those chosen as recipients) we would appreciate if you could answer a few short questions.  To incentivize response to the survey the names of all survey respondents will go into a drawing for a free submission for the next cycle of the DFAR awards program (a $750 value).

    Please click on the link below to take the survey, which is due by end-of-day April 6, 2018.  The survey should only take 5-10 minutes of your time.

    Link to Survey:  https://www.research.net/r/J89P5WS

    Also, feel free to forward this email to other members of your team (if applicable), so they can share their feedback, too.  Note, when taking the survey, you may want to refer to the submission package for 2017 which is provided at the link below.

    2017 Design for Aging Review Awards:   https://www.aia.org/awards/7306-design-for-aging-review-awards

    Please note that this survey is entirely optional and totally confidential.  Individual results will only be available to AIA National Staff and will not be shared other than in aggregate. 

    Thank you,

    Alexis Denton, AIA / SmithGroup and Martin Siefering, AIA / Perkins Eastman

    Design for Aging Knowledge Community 2018 Co-Chairs



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    Martin Siefering AIA
    Principal
    Perkins Eastman
    Pittsburgh PA
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  • 2.  RE: AIA Design for Aging Review Design Competition - Feedback Requested

    Posted 03-19-2018 05:55 PM
    I am not sure what criteria you would use for a competition since this is such a broad topic....how to age in place?.....how to select an alternative to present situation?  Needs...personal for one or two...health variations of couple...what sort of assistance needed....effect on social life.........

    I really do not expect any response...but for the past 10 years, post retirement, this has been the focus of my volunteer time.....most recently, the issue is not the older persons, but the relationship of service providers for them.......

    Great idea, but I have doubts the we as architects will be the focus.....since most residential buildings have not had an noted architect...the residents will more likely call Contractors and, frankly, this is disaster.....

    Thanks for the memo....and I really believe that there is a need for us.....but I doubt that the general public thinks "architect" when needing help with a revision to their occupancy and occupancy requirements.

    Richard E. Baker AIAE
    2702 Mockingbird Drive
    Kalamazoo MI 49008
    269 344 0158