Today the U.S. is facing the largest aging population it has ever seen. According to AARP1, 10,000 baby boomers are turning 65 every single day. This means that seven baby boomers are turning 65 every minute. Combine this with the fact that the CDC states that one out of every five adults in the U.S. lives with a disability2 and the trend toward accessibility is a growing one.
Defining Accessibility
The growth of the baby boomer generation has many implications for the future of commercial architecture and design. The American Disabilities Act, also known as ADA, is a law first established in 1990 by President George H.W. Bush to “prohibit discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including jobs, schools, transportation, and all public and private places that are open to the general public.3” Title III of the ADA focuses on public accommodations and commercial buildings, laying out guidelines to meet when developing a public space or a commercial facility, like a community library, government building, or retail store. These guidelines were further defined in 2010 by then Attorney General Eric Holder to better enable people with disabilities to access buildings and facilities.