Agile Dwelling Units
Project Description
To age in place successfully, residential environments often need modification to match individuals’ changing capacities throughout their lifetime. Agile Dwelling Units (AgDUs) are small, residential units that can be adapted across life stages, known as (st)aging in place. AgDUs are a newly proposed model of housing that were developed based on the interdisciplinary research in the following fields: architecture design and construction, health technology, and human factors. In this coalition, we developed a research informed, human-centered, design approach applied to the development of prototype AgDUs to improve health outcomes for older adults.
Agile Dwelling Units (AgDUs) can be adapted to respond to housing needs and be outfitted with technology that facilitates wellness and access through telehealth can support independent, secure, and engaged healthy living for a growing aging population. With a focus on equity and providing affordable access to housing based on adaptive design, the partners are building on relationships they have established across the Dallas-Fort Worth area with underserved communities, to engage them in developing best practices for healthy aging in place through the use of technology.
Project Coalition
The Center for Advanced Design Research and Evaluation (CADRE)
CADRE is a 501c3 design research entity focused on linking design to outcomes.
CADRE TEAM MEMBERS
Tom Harvey
Dr. Upali Nanda
Aletta Van Der Walt
Widya A Ramadhani
HKS Architects
HKS, Inc. is an architecture firm and signatory of the UN Global Compact.
HKS TEAM MEMBERS
Dr. Upali Nanda
Dr. Deborah Wingler
Southern Ellis
Eric Broberg
UTA College of Architecture, Planning, and Public Affairs (CAPPA)
The College of Architecture, Planning, and Public Affairs (CAPPA) engages the creative and scholarly disciplines through its commitment to provide an outstanding research driven education. Located in the heart of DFW, CAPPA is a testing ground for the design and development of healthy, inclusive, environmentally and ecologically responsive communities.
CAPPA UTA TEAM MEMBERS
Brad Bell
Dr. Maria Martinez-Cosio
Julia Lindgren
Southern Ellis
Landon Baldwin
Carson Lane
UTA Multi-Interprofessional Center for Health Informatics (MICHI)
The Multi-Interprofessional Center of Health Informatics (MICHI) at The University of Texas at Arlington was established in May 2020 with one mission: create a synergistic environment to dramatically accelerate multidisciplinary and interprofessional education, research, and practice in the field of health informatics. As a result of these synergies, MICHI and its partners will substantially contribute to socio-economic growth locally, nationally, and globally.
MICHI UTA TEAM MEMBERS
Dr. Gabriela Mustata Wilson
Dr. Marion Ball
Roman Herrington
Nicole Cevallos
Access the Report
Continuing Education Credits
CADRE 001
Agile Dwelling Units: A human-centered and lifelong approach to adaptable residential environments
To age in place successfully, residential environments often need modification to match individuals’ changing capacities throughout their lifetime. Agile Dwelling Units (AgDUs) are small, residential units that can be adapted across life stages, known as (st)aging in place. AgDUs are a newly proposed model of housing that were developed based on the interdisciplinary research in the following fields: architecture design and construction, health technology, and human factors. In this course, we will teach a research informed, human-centered, design approach applied to the development of prototype AgDUs to improve health outcomes for older adults.
Learning objectives:
Understand the concept of (st)aging in place as a lifelong approach to age in place
Assess users’ needs using the- spectrum of needs (i.e., physical, mental, cognitive, and social) to develop user capability map
Explain the concept of Agile Dwelling Units and its potential for adapting existing houses to support successful (st)aging in place
Linking Agile Dwelling Units design strategies to health outcomes for the occupants
Photos + Student Work
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Conference Engagements
EDRA53
EDRA53 | HEALTH IN ALL DESIGN
“Health in all design” was the theme of this year’s Environmental Design Research Association (EDRA) 53 conference. This theme is very much aligned with CADRE’s mission to improve the health and wellbeing of communities through innovative research and design practices. This year, CADRE’s coalition projects with UTA’s College of Architecture, Planning & Public Affairs (CAPPA), UTA’s Multi-Interprofessional Center for Health Informatics (MICHI), and HKS: Agile Dwelling Units (AgDU) project were presented.
The presentation began with a quick introduction to Agile Dwelling Units: small, residential units that can be adapted across life stages. Such a lifelong approach was introduced as a new concept, called ‘(st)aging in place’. To age in place successfully, the home environment often needs modification to match individuals’ changing capacities throughout their lifetime. Hence, the (st)aging in place concept expands the focus beyond life during old age (aging in place). The (st)aging in place concept highlights the capability of the home environment to accommodate users in different stages of life, suggesting that a single residence will be equally suitable for an older person as it is for a young family.
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