Stannah Uplifts: Designed for accessibility. Designed for your home.
In January 2023, the newly formed Uplifts team at Stannah came to KD with a vision to create a new range of through-floor homelifts which would allow people with reduced mobility to transform their lives in their homes.
The homelifts had to be attractive, compact and versatile to fit a wide range of houses, they had to be able to accommodate up to 3 people and provide access for wheelchairs, they needed to be safe and comfortable, they had to be quick and simple to install, and they had to achieve an attractive price point. And the team wanted to go from vision to production units in people’s homes within 2 years. It was a big ask, but one that the KD team were eager to help the Uplifts team to achieve.
Working fast and dynamically, the combined KD and Uplifts team rapidly progressed through engineering concepts for safety systems, drive systems, cabin construction alongside developing the industrial design and usability features for the new lifts. By the end of year 1 we had realised a pre-production prototype of the cabin and 3 working units on extended safety and engineering testing. 2024 saw the establishment of a brand-new production line in Andover whilst the Uplifts team worked through final product testing and approvals, progressing towards launch in April. First units were then installed in customer homes in Autumn 2024 and demand for the new products has surged.
Design for accessibility
Responding to trends of ageing population and home care, the design makes home installation practical and affordable for a range of user abilities including wheelchair users. The team consulted with occupational therapists and users throughout the process, testing prototypes and incorporating recommendations into the final designs.
Design for home style
The lightweight, glazed cabin with soft grey livery, fits discreetly into a wide range of home environments. The compact size and arrangement of guide rails minimizes intrusion to living space when the lift is located on the other level.
Design for safety
The design is founded on safety, with a range of features including sensors which automatically stop the lift if an obstruction is encountered and a patented braking system independent from the main drive mechanism
Design for installation
A key objective was to allow the lift to be installed in one day, providing benefits to householders and installers. This was achieved through consideration of design, packaging, installation sequence and test procedures.
The KD team did a fantastic job… we couldn’t have done it without you! Sam Stannah, CEO, Uplifts
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