culturally sensitive housing and universal design
TRANSCRIPT
The journey of adaptation for the Mexican
culture into the United States is a difficult but
dynamic one, fraught with uncertainty while
stimulated and energized by promise.
Oftentimes choked by bias or discrimination,
the Mexican and American experience of
“coming together” can be hindered. Groups or
persons can hold others back, strangling out
their adaptation. Unwillingness on one or both
sides can make this adaptive process halt,
fragment, or disintegrate. But openness and
cooperation between both sides can ultimately
lead to an environment of parallelism, where
Americans and Mexicans work and live side by
side, enhanced and enriched by each other’s
diversity. Cultural growth can emerge from
these experiences, creating deeper meaning
behind old traditions as new traditions are
developed. In such cases, these two cultures are
interlaced, complementing each other’s
differences while bound together by their
sameness.
JESSICA CHRISTENSEN
DHA 3605 CULTURALLY SENSITIVE HOUSING FOR MEXICANS AND UNIVERSAL DESIGN, FALL 2008
INSTRUCTOR: DR. HADJIYANNI
CULTURAL
SENSITIVITY
•Space for
entertaining is
provided throughout:
large living room;
dining room with
space for expansion.
•Children’s bedrooms
large enough for two
beds per room.
•Master bedroom has
master bath for
privacy and
convenience.
•Desks in children’s
bedrooms for
studying.
CONCEPTUAL
TRANSLATION
On the first floor, a
central hall
separates the two
cultures. The
Mexican side is
shown through
curved line and a
warm color palette;
the mainstream is
shown through
linear line and a
cool color palette.
On the second floor,
the division of
cultures continues;
however,
integration can be
seen as the cultural
differences begin to
overlap. The two
come together at
the staircase and
begin a tentative
journey of “coming
together”
throughout the rest
of the second floor
UNIVERSAL
DESIGN
•Bedroom, full bath,
and laundry room
provided on the first
floor.
•Walkways 42” wide.
•3’ clearance at bed
sides for accessibility.
•Pedestal sink in first
floor bathroom for
space beneath.FIRST FLOOR SECOND FLOOR
OVERALL DIMENSIONS: 43’ x 28’
TOTAL SQ. FT.: 1,100 SQ. FT.
CULTURAL SENSITIVITY
•Multiple work surfaces in the kitchen
encourage interaction with friends and
family members.
•Display shelves in the entry create a
sense of stability and allow for display
of cherished possessions.
•The living room offers space for
entertaining.
•A built-in entertainment center offers
an attractive storage solution.
CONCEPTUAL TRANSLATION
In the kitchen (above right), parallelism is achieved. The cultures
live side-by-side, complementing each other’s differences, while not
interwoven. The island retains the Mexican identity with curved
line and a warm color palette and the cabinets along the wall retain
the mainstream identity with straight lines and a cool color palette.
At the entrance (above left), the two cultures are separate, their
differences apparent. However, integration has begun at the
staircase, where both linear and curvilinear line are present.
UNIVERSAL DESIGN
•Multiple work surface heights in the
kitchen accommodate varying user
needs.
• 42” walkways offer ample clearance for
comfortable passage.
•Single-lever faucet to accommodate all
user types.
•30”X48” clear floor space at appliances
for easy accessibility.
PERSPECTIVE OF FRONT ENTRANCEPERSPECTIVE OF KITCHEN
CONCEPTUAL TRANSLATION
Cultural differences, when interlaced, create a new language, as shown in the stained glass
window (lower left), which combines both identities. Tentative integration creates a new
language, with each culture “borrowing” pieces of identity from the other (lower right),
where color palettes and line type overlap in some cases, but each retains its culture.
CULTURAL SENSITIVITY
•Landscaping offers privacy while allowing for neighbor
interaction (lower left).
•Large backyards offer ample play areas for children or as
a place to entertain.
•A large walk-in closet in the master bedroom allows for
ample storage.
UNIVERSAL DESIGN
•Flush entry at the rear entrance offers accessibility to all
user types.
•Exterior and interior doors are 36” wide for ease of
passage.
SITE PLAN
SECTIONDETAIL PERSPECTIVE
FRONT ELEVATION
LEVER
HANDLE
HARD-
WARE
ROUNDED COUNTER
CORNERS
FRONT LOADING WASHER AND
DRYER
ROLL OUT DRAWERS
LAUNDRY/KITCHEN
CURVED ROOF LINECURVED EXTERIOR WALL
RECOMMENDED SINK
CLEARANCES
UNIVERSAL DESIGN
SOLUTIONS
MODEL