Designing for Mentally Retarded People: A Social-Environmental Evaluation of New England Villages, Inc.

Abstract

For years mentally retarded people have been shut in harsh, dehumanizing institutions. There is an increasing realization, however, that people may only achieve their full potential if they are exposed to the patterns and expectations of everyday life. This realization prompted the renovations at a large state institution which were evaluated in the previous case. A number of critics have argued, however, that any living situation where people are housed in large institutions is inherently destructive of personal growth. The present evaluation examines a sheltered village where a small number of mentally retarded people live and work in a supportive setting.