Design for Duchenne. Guidelines for dwellings’ construction or renovation for muscular dystrophy—affected families

Duchenne is a rare form of muscular dystrophy (DMD) that affects 1 boy out of 3500. The first symptoms appear around 2–5 years of age and result in a total muscles paralysis. The Italian legislation on accessibility of spaces and services is rather outdated and not entirely relevant for the specific needs of DMD-affected children. This research aims to offer a practical guide to renovation or new construction projects that can be useful for parents of DMD-affected children, designers and experts. The covered aspects include the design of residential buildings’ spatial and functional architectonic elements and the connected design of furniture. Both aspects are conceived having in mind key accessibility requirements by users with limited mobility. The purpose is to improve users’ quality of life, with a specific focus on DMD-affected children and their families. The research follows the approach of Design for All, developed through the application of a User-Centered design methodology based on QFD (Quality Function Deployment).