Tuesday, July 29th 2008
Universal Design: A Home for Lianna Leap
To be perfectly honest, we were not looking for a new staff member when Taryn Nye came for her interview. Things were a little slow and Taryn was a recent graduate so we wondered what her role would be in spite of her obvious talent and poise. Near the end of her portfolio she showed us a real project she completed outside of school as a volunteer. Taryn designed, including permitting, construction drawings and construction review, a house for a mother and her six year old daughter who was afflicted with cerebral palsy - and she did this while completing her master’s thesis. The house is a deep exploration into identifying the particular needs of this family and universal design principles.
Let’s just say that Bob and I both realized we could never have pulled this off at that age and it demonstrated a talent for and commitment to the kind of work that we do: Work for people who need problems solved. We decided that building the kind of firm we want meant taking a risk and bringing her into the studio without a clear idea of what she would do. Taryn has been here for a few months now adding value to our work. She recently learned she received an important award for her project, but we’ll let her use her own words to tell the story...
In August of 2006 I entered graduate school at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. My “real world” experience of architecture was limited to theoretical projects as an undergraduate to snippets of projects as a summer intern. As a graduate student I was encouraged to develop my own interest through the 1.5 year long thesis study. All through school I have fallen in love with old crumbling industrial buildings and abandoned overgrown landscapes infused with contemporary programs and modern materials. I pursued this path strongly presenting my ideas in Waterloo, Ca and Houston, TX. However, in March 2007, I was presented with an opportunity that forever changed my understanding and interest in architecture by revealing the impact that design can have on an individual.
I received an email from one of my mentors and professors looking for interested students to advise a Miami alumni member on the design and construction of a house to accommodate her daughter diagnosed with mixed-type quadriplegic cerebral palsy. Within a week the process had begun, I was on the phone with Utawna Leap, researching her community involvement, cerebral palsy, watching their Extreme Home Makeover nomination, and desperately seeking articles and books on universal and accessible design. Nothing in a book or on the internet could have prepared me more for the design process than spending time with Utawna and her beautiful daughter Lianna (despite understanding everything that goes on around her, she cannot sit up, crawl, walk or talk). During the design process we involved other students through lectures, design updates, presentations, and class demonstrations.
One year later, hours of design work, hundreds of emails, phone calls, several fundraisers, and a non profit organization (ShesWhy.org), the house was designed and construction nearly complete. Special features of the one story Leap Residence included an oversized garage for the large van with the wheelchair lift on axis with the central hall, 5’ hallways for the oversized 350 lb wheel chair, accessible countertops and sinks, motion activated faucets, a complete wet room with jacuzzi and roll in shower, a therapy room, and a ceiling track with sling for independent mobility and muscle development which connected Lianna to her bedroom, bathroom, and central living spaces. Although the home is customized for Lianna visitors comment that it seems like any typical home. Utawna and I attempted to avoid or camouflage many of the characteristics that identify a home as handicap accessible.
Before graduation in May, the home was almost complete and I made my last trip to visit Lianna. I will never be able to fully explain the experience of watching a six year old move herself free from the assistance of her wheel chair. A couple weeks ago Utawna called with news that I was nominated and received the AIAS Community Service Honor Award for 2007-08. The nomination letters and information about the accessible home are available at the AIAS web site. So THANK YOU! to all my Miami friends for their kind words, and especially Utawna and Lianna for such an amazing experience and friendship.
Taryn
Let’s just say that Bob and I both realized we could never have pulled this off at that age and it demonstrated a talent for and commitment to the kind of work that we do: Work for people who need problems solved. We decided that building the kind of firm we want meant taking a risk and bringing her into the studio without a clear idea of what she would do. Taryn has been here for a few months now adding value to our work. She recently learned she received an important award for her project, but we’ll let her use her own words to tell the story...
In August of 2006 I entered graduate school at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. My “real world” experience of architecture was limited to theoretical projects as an undergraduate to snippets of projects as a summer intern. As a graduate student I was encouraged to develop my own interest through the 1.5 year long thesis study. All through school I have fallen in love with old crumbling industrial buildings and abandoned overgrown landscapes infused with contemporary programs and modern materials. I pursued this path strongly presenting my ideas in Waterloo, Ca and Houston, TX. However, in March 2007, I was presented with an opportunity that forever changed my understanding and interest in architecture by revealing the impact that design can have on an individual.
I received an email from one of my mentors and professors looking for interested students to advise a Miami alumni member on the design and construction of a house to accommodate her daughter diagnosed with mixed-type quadriplegic cerebral palsy. Within a week the process had begun, I was on the phone with Utawna Leap, researching her community involvement, cerebral palsy, watching their Extreme Home Makeover nomination, and desperately seeking articles and books on universal and accessible design. Nothing in a book or on the internet could have prepared me more for the design process than spending time with Utawna and her beautiful daughter Lianna (despite understanding everything that goes on around her, she cannot sit up, crawl, walk or talk). During the design process we involved other students through lectures, design updates, presentations, and class demonstrations.
One year later, hours of design work, hundreds of emails, phone calls, several fundraisers, and a non profit organization (ShesWhy.org), the house was designed and construction nearly complete. Special features of the one story Leap Residence included an oversized garage for the large van with the wheelchair lift on axis with the central hall, 5’ hallways for the oversized 350 lb wheel chair, accessible countertops and sinks, motion activated faucets, a complete wet room with jacuzzi and roll in shower, a therapy room, and a ceiling track with sling for independent mobility and muscle development which connected Lianna to her bedroom, bathroom, and central living spaces. Although the home is customized for Lianna visitors comment that it seems like any typical home. Utawna and I attempted to avoid or camouflage many of the characteristics that identify a home as handicap accessible.
Before graduation in May, the home was almost complete and I made my last trip to visit Lianna. I will never be able to fully explain the experience of watching a six year old move herself free from the assistance of her wheel chair. A couple weeks ago Utawna called with news that I was nominated and received the AIAS Community Service Honor Award for 2007-08. The nomination letters and information about the accessible home are available at the AIAS web site. So THANK YOU! to all my Miami friends for their kind words, and especially Utawna and Lianna for such an amazing experience and friendship.
Taryn