Expert at work Photo Daniel GeorgeUNIVERSAL DESIGN e x p e r t Michael Schlenke

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CV | BackgroundAfter training as a carpenter, Michael Schlenke studied business management. He held several positions in the furniture industry before entering the health-care sector in 2010, focusing on cross-generational living. In 2013, he founded The Caretakers, a strategy-consultancy business specializing in product development. He also works as

a trade journalist and holds lectures. His clients include renowned national and international companies from a variety of industries. Michael Schlenke was born in 1963 and lives near Dusseldorf.

Involvement l Institutions l Memberships• iF Design e.V.• iF UNIVERSAL DESIGN research group “Das Bad”

(The Bathroom)• HealthCare Futurists, multidisciplinary innovation think-

tank • PRoF-Projects, European consortium for future ways

of living. • Deutscher Fachjournalisten Verband (German Associ-

ation of Trade Journalists) • Health Region Cologne Bonn

AwardsInnovation prize at Altenpflege 2014, leading exhibition for the care sector

Michael SchlenkeMain FocusProduct and strategy development l Market entry and matchmaking in the healthcare industry

Homepagewww.the-caretakers.com

MY UNIVERSAL DESIGN s t a t e m e n t

When products are developed and implemented built to the various sta-ges of life, technology becomes less important and is intuitive and fun to use – to me, that’s Universal Design.

UNIVERSAL DESIGN p a s t p e r f e c t Hopper by Extremis I Photo PRoF-ProjectsMichael Schlenke

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UNIVERSAL DESIGN p a s t p e r f e c tHopper bench by Extremis Designer Dirk Wynants

UNIVERSAL DESIGN s t a t e m e n t Consumers notice the various uses of Hopper right away when they see this bench by Belgian manufacturer Extre-mis for the first time. People with and without disabilities intuitively find their place and interact with each other as equals. Hopper’s universal qualities are especially effecti-ve in cross-generational living arrangements. The hot-dip galvanized material guarantees durability and allows it to be used outdoors as well as indoors.

UNIVERSAL DESIGN n o n a m e d e s i g n Stiefelknecht I Manufacturer Michael Schlenke I Photo Daniel George

UNIVERSAL DESIGN n o n a m e d e s i g n StiefelknechtManufacturer Michael Schlenke

UNIVERSAL DESIGN s t a t e m e n tMy grandfather appreciated this clever bootjack to help him with his heavy work boots. As a little boy, it allowed me to take off my rubber boots by myself. Today, the bootjack is waiting right next to our front door, inconspicuously offe-ring help to people of all generations. To me, the bootjack is a prime example of UNIVERSAL DESIGN. Its anonymous qualities deserve attention and consideration.

Images

1. UNIVERSAL DESIGN e x p e r t Michael Schlenke2. Expert at work l Photo Daniel George3. UNIVERSAL DESIGN p a s t p e r f e k t Hopper bench I by Extremis I Photo PRoF-Projects4. UNIVERSAL DESIGN n o n a m e d e s i g n Stiefelknecht I Manufacturer Michael Schlenke I Photo Daniel George

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