Universal Design Adoption in Housing: A Systematic Review and Future Directions

In the 1970s, Ron Mace introduced the term universal design (UD), which strives to meet the demands of any group of people. Today, UD housing that enables independent living for people with disabilities and ageing in place is one of the widespread discussions. However, industry practitioners are still implementing it with a low adoption rate to fulfil the demand. A lack of information on what has been developed and discussed might lead to those issues. This study aims to review trends in evolution of UD with the objectives to pinpoint the strengths and gaps in the literature, and identify potential outcomes for future directions. A systematic literature review (SLR) using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) technique of published articles specifically related to UD and housing as the scope of this study was conducted. The SLR included studies from architecture, innovative technology, education, gerontology, and other related fields. Initially, 229 articles were listed from the search string selected. Upon screening, 89 articles were fully reviewed in detail and grouped in three phases: formulation, implementation, and assessment. The findings aid the design educators, home builders, researchers, and industry stakeholders in adopting UD to the greatest extent possible. The analysis of the selected journal articles revealed the adoption of UD in house construction life cycle. The existing research on UD housing targets improvements in three phases: formulation, implementation, and assessment. Finally, industry practitioners can use the findings to develop strategies for effective UD adoption in housing.