Aging, Identity, and Design | Rob Van Varick | TEDxAsburyPark

The wheelchair is accepted as an as-is solution-no one questions its design or the universal symbol that it’s become, and the aging or disabled population has their choices limited or cut off entirely.
We see design as having the ability, the necessity even, to play a role in designing towards accessibility for all, but doing it in a way that creates aspirational choices for people.
Rob Van Varick will make you look at the assistive needs of our aging population and the simple cane in a new way. He is a partner at Michael Graves Architecture & Design and believes that design plays a key role in our identity and has the power to positively impact people’s lives. “Every single choice we make redefines who we are,” he says.
His mission is to apply the right blend of research, psychology, creativity and strategy so that root causes are identified, allowing the best solution to be designed.
Rob has a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from the Rhode Island School of Design, where he studied industrial design.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx