Imagine a bathing area that is just as easy to access for a teenager as it is for her 87-year-old grandmother. Or a modern kitchen – with all the amenities – that is both fashionable and functional for a couple celebrating their 60th anniversary.

That’s the concept behind Universal Design, the development of products such as furnishings, appliances and living spaces that promote equal opportunity for use by people of all ages, with or without disabilities.

“When universal design is done correctly, it is invisible,” said Roberta Null, curator of “Universal Design: Lifespan Collaborative Strategies,” an exhibit running at the USC Institute for Genetic Medicine (IGM) Art Gallery through June 28.

The exhibit, co-hosted by the USC Ethel Percy Andrus Gerontology Center and the USC IGM Art Gallery Volunteers, opened March 12.

On display are representations created by builders, designers and remodelers who have developed products using the concepts of Universal Design for the ever-changing needs of households. Such innovations include a flat, spacious shower space with an adjustable bench and handheld spout and a rotating shelf designed like a Ferris wheel.

Many of the imaginative products received praise from visitors. “This shelf is ideal for people of all heights and varying levels of strength,” said Marina Makri.

Makri works as an interior designer and was on hand to see the latest technological developments in household furnishings. “Universal Design is a new concept to me, but the more I see, the more important it is to consider for my clients.”

Another popular item was the mechanical dish sink, which adjusted to the height of the user. A simple push of a button mounted on the side lowered the sink to wheelchair level.

“Notice the variation in colors between the edge of the sink’s shelf and the counter top,” said Null, pointing to a yellow strip just below the red countertop that bordered the perimeter. “As people age they have trouble distinguishing countertops, toilet seats and bathtubs, which are frequently the same color as the walls.”

Universal Design is seen as a major step toward an adaptation to the aging population of the world. By the year 2050, it is estimated that nearly two billion people will be age 60 or older.

In the United States, fueled by the baby-boom generation, the population of seniors is expected to double by 2020, the oldest of whom are turning 60 this year. In the city of Los Angeles alone, there are thousands of people who are elderly or caring for older persons; nearly 100,000 households in the city have someone who is at least 65 years of age.

“Faced with the prospect of forced dependence and an inadequate number of specialized care facilities, this exhibit supports independence for our elders,” said Maria Henke, the Andrus Gerontology Center director of communications.