Vivo; in Latin, it is defined as “within the living,” and in music, it is defined as lively. So what does it have to do with my thesis, and why was it chosen? When searching for a name for my training facility, I was looking for something that represented a person as a whole; too often, people with disabilities have been a last thought of aesthetics often come before the function of a space. I found that Vivo represented the space perfectly because it focuses on the person’s entirety, having completed something as a whole. This space is designed to be an experience for the clients, trainers, visitors, and employees.

Why am I designing a Service Dog Training Facility with a particular focus on Universal Design? Before entering my fourth and final year of Interior Design, I already knew my thesis focus because I had two significant influences in my life. The first influence was my younger sister, Sydney. She was born with a form of dwarfism known as achondroplasia, meaning that her legs and arms did not fully develop as they were supposed to. Though she does not believe that her dwarfism is challenged, she understands that she has had to adapt differently than someone of “average stature.” I have watched her struggle to reach items in public and in our own home throughout the years, often using a stool to assist her. I want my thesis to support her and be a space accessible for her. My second influence comes from the Pacific Assistance Dogs Society. I was first introduced to them back in 2016 and became very involved in 2019. I have sat about ten dogs throughout my time with them, and I am currently raising two, Derby and Piper lll. With the organization’s focus on people in wheelchairs, hearing impaired or struggling with PTSD, I have become more aware of my surroundings and what spaces are and are not accessible to these people. Because of these two major influences, I want to design a Service Dog Training Facility focused on Universal Design.