A Day at East Lake

David Jackson

       I was given the wonderful opportunity to accompany my Human Socialization class to East Lake to see tour a co-housing community. As we entered the home of our tour guide, the difference in the design of her home from many others was immediately apparent. The walkway through the front door was built with a slight incline and no stairs. The layout of the home was a single story ranch design with accessibility to all areas. Our guide approached us in her motorized wheel chair and welcomed us to the community.
     As we waited for our tour to begin, our host continued to prepare her lunch in the kitchen which was designed for full mobility for wheel chairs. I was amazed to see that she could move her chair 360 degrees as she moved throughout the kitchen. My kitchen at home would most certainly not allow for wheel chair access, and I was immediately impressed by how simply and thoughtfully this home was designed.
    Our tour commenced after a brief period as we walked outside our tour guides home into the drive in front of the home. The houses that surrounded were connected to the same drive that connected the first home to all the others. Regular traffic was not permitted on the main drive as this community was a co-housing community, and was designed to encourage its residents to socialize with each other. The residents of the East Lake community would park in a lot at the end of their drive, and walk or roll to their houses. Many of the individuals who lived in the co-housing community walked up and down the drive, and were most enthusiastic to greet our class as they passed by.
    Our tour continued as we traveled through the community, observing the design of these obviously different homes. Our guide showed us the ingenious and simple entrance ways to the homes which allowed for at least one entrance to each home accessibility to those who would otherwise be unable to enter them. The main concern I had as we viewed the houses was the factor of water entering the homes. Our guide quickly addressed these concerns as she enlightened us as to how easy it was for architects to put the accessible entrance way on the high side of the house, and design trenches to divert water form the houses. The Social Disability Model which would often dictate that it is difficult or impossible to create accessible homes, seemed to be completely foolish as we saw first hand that it is a simple task to achieve.
   As we continued along the drive on our tour, we passed by an area for a community garden. The plot of land devoted to the inhabitants green thumb further showed what an involved and social community this truly was. This inclusion of all residents in the community, despite their level of mobility, was a testament to why this community was built.
   Our final stop on the tour was to one of the homes of our tour guides neighbor. The home, just like all the others, was accessible. As we entered the home I noticed that it was two stories. This home would most certainly be for an individual who was not disabled because of the second story, but it was none the less accessible throughout the first floor. The bathroom became a the focus of the groups attention as our guide showed us the wide birth of the door frame. Such a simple act of widening a door frame in its initial placement is of no cost, but is around 1,200 hundred dollars to widen after the fact.
   Our tour concluded as we left the final house and returned to the drive in front of our tour guides home. The guide talked to us about the concepts surrounding the design of the East Lake co-housing community. She explained that the systems on which most housing is built does not allow for inclusion of all residents. This idea of exclusion can be equated to things like sexism, ageism, racism and so on. Such simple measures as allowing one accessible entrance to a home, or widening the frame of a bathroom door are not drastic. After seeing this community, it is apparent to me that future housing should be designed to be more inclusive, and allow for all people to have and accessible way to socialize.