Inside
User-friendly housing should be both aesthetically pleasing and functional. To achieve this the spaces inside a house need to be easy to move around. The layout needs to make life easy by connecting functional destinations such as laundry and clothesline, or carport and kitchen. These logical connections are usually made in home designs but often the corridors and other circulation routes are too narrow or have pinch points that restrict access. One of the most effective ways to solve these access problems and to maximise the use of available space is to employ an open-plan design.
Room to move
A home designed with good access in mind is more liveable for everyone and is likely to meet the needs of its inhabitants as the years pass. The improved access will benefit children, elderly people and those with disabilities.
Specific provision may be needed for a person with a particular disability.
For example, a person using a wheelchair may need greater clearance between items of furniture and doorways that are designed to enable their passage. The goal is to plan the space well for its function and intended users.
The most accessible layout for a house is one with generous open spaces and as few passageways as possible. Hallways, especially narrow corridors, can be difficult for many people to navigate.
People using wheelchairs may experience difficulty when making turns in a corridor or turns from a corridor into a room if the corridor and door openings are not sufficiently wide. Whether building a new home or renovating, it is useful to consider how the space can be used to maximise access between rooms and to outdoor areas. Place furniture where it will not compromise circulation space or manoeuvrability throughout the house.
Figure 4.1 - The dimensions of an offset hinged door that allows room for a wheelchair user to move beside and through
- 500mm preferred
- 470 minimum
- 800 minimum
- additional pull handle will assist some users
Figure 4.2 illustrates the layout of a house designed for easy movement between rooms.
Figure 4.2 - Plan for a small house that allows easy access
If corridors are necessary, they should be wide to facilitate turns and changes in direction. It is difficult for people in wheelchairs to manoeuvre down a 900mm wide corridor, or round a tight 90° corner. Such narrow corridors should only be used for short distances.
Where it is not possible to design a corridor of suitable width and the corridor has a sharp turn, it may be possible to chamfer the corner as illustrated in figure 4.3 to make it accessible.
Figure 4.3 - An existing corridor can be made more accessible by cutting the corner
- 900mm minimum,1200mm preferred
- the manoeuvre can be made much easier by chamfering the inner corner
- possible damage to walls
New homes should provide corridors at least 1000mm to 1100mm wide. This width allows sufficient room for wheelchairs, prams and furniture to be manoeuvred without damaging the walls.
Where corridors are less than 1000mm, doors opening off the corridor will need to be wider to enable passage for people in wheelchairs. The relationship between corridor width and doorway width for people in wheelchairs is explained in figure 4.4.
Figure 4.4 - Preferred minimum space requirements to turn 90 deg through a door from a corridor
- clear opening
- the width of the door opening must be increased if the passageway is narrow
| A | B |
| 1200 | 800 |
| 1110 | 900 |
| 1055 | 1000 |
Figure 4.5 - The end of a corridor
- end of corridor should be1350mm minimum
- bedroom
- wardrobe