The concepts addressed in Unlimited By Design evolved in the 1970s out of increased awareness of the rights of people with disabilities. The term "universal design" was coined by architect Ron Mace, a wheelchair user who was president of Barrier Free Environments, Inc. in Raleigh, North Carolina, and director of the Center for Accessible Design at the School of Design at North Carolina State University.
Mace's research was expanded by Patricia Moore, an industrial designer and gerontologist. Disguised as a woman in her eighties, Moore, at age twenty-five, set out to experience the barriers that confront the elderly in everyday life. Her 1985 book Disguised: A True Story recorded her experiences and led Moore to found a firm specializing in the design of environments for health care and physical rehabilitation centers.
Another key figure in universal design is James J. Pirkl, Chairman Emeritus of Syracuse University's Department of Design. Since the mid-1970s, Pirkl has sensitized his students to the special needs of aging and disabled people. In 1985, he pioneered the concept of "trans-generational" designs--products compatible with the physical and sensory impairments of aging.
Concurrent with these developments, the U.S. government passed the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990. The ADA established design standards to make almost every public and private environment usable by all people. Rather than mandating universal design, the ADA encourages a universal design approach by validating it through legislation and inspiring designers to meet its goals.
Highlights of Unlimited By Design include the Rhode Island School of Design kitchen project featuring two universally designed kitchens, Design Continuum's Metaform bathroom, and Playworld Systems-Play Designs playground. Also featured are products for the "ageless" garden and wayfinding systems.
Unlimited By Design celebrates the spirit and imagination of contemporary designers who have embraced the challenge of universal design.

© Copyright 1998 Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, Smithsonian Institution


The concepts addressed in Unlimited By Design evolved in the 1970s out of increased awareness of the rights of people with disabilities. The term "universal design" was coined by architect Ron Mace, a wheelchair user who was president of Barrier Free Environments, Inc. in Raleigh, North Carolina, and director of the Center for Accessible Design at the School of Design at North Carolina State University. Mace's research was expanded by Patricia Moore, an industrial designer and gerontologist. Disguised as a woman in her eighties, Moore, at age twenty-five, set out to experience the barriers that confront the elderly in everyday life. Her 1985 book Disguised: A True Story recorded her experiences and led Moore to found a firm specializing in the design of environments for health care and physical rehabilitation centers. Another key figure in universal design is James J. Pirkl, Chairman Emeritus of Syracuse University's Department of Design. Since the mid-1970s, Pirkl has sensitized his students to the special needs of aging and disabled people. In 1985, he pioneered the concept of "trans-generational" designs--products compatible with the physical and sensory impairments of aging. Concurrent with these developments, the U.S. government passed the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990. The ADA established design standards to make almost every public and private environment usable by all people. Rather than mandating universal design, the ADA encourages a universal design approach by validating it through legislation and inspiring designers to meet its goals. Highlights of Unlimited By Design include the Rhode Island School of Design kitchen project featuring two universally designed kitchens, Design Continuum's Metaform bathroom, and Playworld Systems-Play Designs playground. Also featured are products for the "ageless" garden and wayfinding systems. Unlimited By Design celebrates the spirit and imagination of contemporary designers who have embraced the challenge of universal design.
© Copyright 1998 Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, Smithsonian Institution