Marymount University is asking area senior citizens to help its interior design students and others find practical solutions for the challenges of getting older at an Aging Well By Design-athon to be held March 26-28 on the school’s main campus, 2807 North Glebe Road.
“Our goal is to bring to life the users’ experiences so we can empathize and understand what it’s like for them as we design,” said Moira Denson, an assistant professor of interior design.
The design-athon will kick off with a series of lightning talks from experts on Thursday, March 26 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in Room G127, Rowley Hall. Those talks are free and open to the public. Workshops will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Friday, March 27 and from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 28 in Gerard Dining Hall.
Those attending the Friday and Saturday sessions are asked to discuss problems they experience with the designs for products, technologies and spaces. Seniors will be asked to mentor teams developing solutions to those problems.
In addition, designers will participate in a series of empathy exercises. An iPad application will simulate what it’s like for a person with cataracts to read a newspaper, and designers will put beans in their shoes to simulate walking difficulties.
Contact Denson for more information via email or 240-271-1724. To register, go to marymount.edu/designathon. A $25 fee includes lunch on both Friday and Saturday.
