Design For All: An Overview of Needs and Gaps in Formal Education in Four European Countries

Abstract

The average age of the European population has been increasing and this fact leads to the need of adapting the physical spaces, so that older adults may stay independent for as long as possible. To that aim, building constructors, furnishing designers but also social care and health sectors need to be aware of the difficulties that older adults face in their homes and in public spaces. Design for All, Universal Design and Smart Healthy Age-Friendly Environments are approaches that build and promote more inclusive spaces to everyone, regardless of their gender, age, ethnicity or functional limitations. The present study aims to identify the needs and gaps in different educational levels, concerning D4All and Universal Design, in four European countries (Portugal, Slovenia, Slovakia and Spain), as well as survey the needs of stakeholders. With that purpose, desk research, interviews and workshop sessions were conducted, allowing to build a Matrix of Gaps, comparing the approach to these topics in four educational fields: Architecture, Design, Health, and Social care. Results show differences among the countries, but also that these topics are not sufficiently addressed in formal curricula, highlighting the need for this to be changed in the near future.