Accessible
Design Pioneer: Bruce Stevenson
by Lance
H. Hegland
When
he was 12 years old, Bruce Stevenson's life took on fuel that would
be ignited many years later. His mother had recently passed away,
his father was mobility impaired and used a wheelchair, and their
home was not accessible. His dad struggled to get in and out of the
bathtub and on and off the toilet. It was the 70s: the independent
living movement was just taking shape and products enhancing independence
were rare. With his mom gone, unless his dad could become more independent
and take on the responsibility of raising the family, they would
likely be split up to live among relatives or in foster homes. Bruce
and his family pulled together and began to improvise.
Bruce's first invention
was a ceiling lift. When the family could not find anyone to install
a lift in their bathroom to help his father more easily access
the bathtub and toilet, Bruce designed and installed a lift of
his own. First, he found a piece of "I"-beam
steel in a scrap yard and bought a chain hoist, some screws, and
a can of white paint from a hardware store. Next, he assembled the
materials to create and install a lift system in their bathroom.
It wasn't exactly "pretty", but it worked. In fact, it
worked well! His invention greatly increased the chances that his
dad and family would be able to stay together in their home. His
dad was amazed and encouraged him to explore his knack for designing
and installing adaptive equipment. For the next 30 years, however,
his talent remained a hobby that benefited his family and neighbors
instead of a career opportunity.
After high school Bruce served in the Air Force for 12 years. He
learned about aircraft-related systems, including hydraulics, mechanics,
and electrical systems. After leaving the service, his skills allowed
him to land a job with Northwest Airlines, where he worked for another
12 years. While Bruce enjoyed the work, he knew it wasn't his calling.
His passion was reignited in 1999 while on a mission trip with his
church in Jamaica. The group was helping to put a roof on an orphanage
hospital that served children with disabilities. As he looked around,
he began to think about how a few simple modifications could make
a huge difference for many of the patients. He realized that his
experiences and skills were gifts that could help improve the lives
of many individuals experiencing mobility challenges. POOF! The fuel
was ignited and Ability Solutions was launched in December 2001.
Bruce understood that
it wasn't sufficient to just have a solution that worked. He wanted
to offer "great" products and services
meeting the many other various needs and desires of consumers. For
example, as transportation can be difficult for individuals with
disabilities, having a product showroom for prospective customers
wasn't enough. So, Bruce built a portable model of a stair lift system
that could be transported to consumers’ homes. Other aspects
of his design and construction that set him apart include the way
his products blend into the surroundings. Almost invisible, they
allow visitors to see the beauty of the architecture and the person
instead of directing attention to a need for assistance, incorporating
the principles of universal design.
According to the Center
for Universal Design at North Carolina State University, "the
intent of universal design is to simplify life for everyone by
making products, communications, and the built environment more
usable by as many people as possible at little or no extra cost.
Universal design benefits people of all ages and abilities."
Bruce's vision is that
his company will become "a single point
of contact for people with accessibility needs -- the accessibility
experts within our community". With that goal in mind, he has
built his company into a one-stop shop for universal design. Ability
Solutions is a licensed residential building contractor as well as
an authorized equipment installer. This allows them to provide numerous
products and services geared toward making the interior and exterior
of homes accessible and comfortable for everyone.
Their product and service offerings include overall design consulting,
remodeling, construction and landscaping. Yes, landscaping! Often
a home interior is the sole focus of accessibility. But, the exterior
of a home, such as the entrance, patio, garden, and yard, can easily
become attractive and accessible spaces as well. Ability Solutions
recently demonstrated their skill by creating a beautiful cobblestone
walkway leading to a patio surrounded by a garden and greenery for
one homeowner's formerly stepped entrance.
The company also offers a wide variety of products allowing movement
between different levels of a home, such as, stair lifts, platform
lifts, and elevators. Ceiling lifts and other personal lifts are
available to assist movement onto a couch, into bed, into a bathtub,
or onto a toilet. They also have extensive experience with roll-in
showers. Bruce and his company have the creativity and the know-how
to create solutions where traditional methods fail.
A true entrepreneur, Bruce
is always looking for ways to help. In the future he hopes to expand
the number of affordable, accessible homes in the Twin Cities by
purchasing, remodeling and re-selling homes to individuals in the
disability community. The first project home, in St. Louis Park,
is in the process of being remodeled. Bruce’s
goal is to complete six homes per year.
Other local organizations
have been recognized for their universal design work, including
Dave Regel Construction, Habitat for Humanity, the Minnesota Chapter
of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, and Christian Builders.
