Small and perfect: How a ‘game-changer’ refurb transformed this 3ft tall woman’s life
Elizabeth McEvoy, a 3ft tall archivist, successfully renovated her Dublin apartment to accommodate her specific physical needs. By working with occupational therapists and specialized builders, she transformed her living space to be fully accessible and functional.
Why it matters
It highlights the importance of universal design and the challenges individuals with disabilities face in housing markets not built for their stature.
E lizabeth McEvoy has lived her life in a world that’s not built for her. As a small person, shops, restaurants and public buildings were never designed with her stature in mind. So when she finally bought her own apartment, she was determined to create a space made for her.
The archivist with the National Archives had been renting the apartment on Dublin ’s Francis Street for 15 years before buying it from her landlord, so she knew what she wanted when it came to modifications.
When you are 3ft tall, reaching to turn off a tap, or lifting a pot from the hob, is infinitely more challenging than it is for someone of average height. She couldn’t use her apartment’s intercom system because it was out of reach and she had to use a stick to switch the lights on and off.
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