Universally Accessible
Quality housing is designed with a variety of users in mind. During the planning stages of a project it is important to consider the physical and mental capabilities of the building’s occupants to ensure that their needs are fulfilled. Projects should strive to be universally accessible as well as encourage inclusivity.
According to the City Design Center at the University of Illinois at Chicago,
“…universal accessibility includes: entrances that are free of steps; hallways, doorways, and clear floor spaces that are wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair; lever door and window handles for ease of use; slip-resistant flooring; work surfaces with variable or adaptable height; and multi-sensory controls, switches, and way-finding devices like signage.”
When housing is developed under the guidance of universal design principals it ensures usability and suitability for all people, regardless of age, size, ability, or disability. These universally designed developments create atmospheres of inclusivity and benefit not only residents and visitors, but the communities in which they are constructed.
Resources
The Access Board: “The Access Board is an independent Federal agency devoted to accessibility for people with disabilities. Created in 1973 to ensure access to federally funded facilities, the Board is now a leading source of information on accessible design. The Board develops and maintains design criteria for the built environment, transit vehicles, telecommunications equipment, and for electronic and information technology.”
Adaptive Environments Center, Inc: “The Institute for Human Centered Design (IHCD), founded in Boston in 1978 as Adaptive Environments, is an international non-governmental educational organization (NGO) committed to advancing the role of design in expanding opportunity and enhancing experience for people of all ages and abilities through excellence in design.”
The National Council on Disability (NCD): “NCD members are appointed to represent people with disabilities, national organizations concerned with people with disabilities, providers and administrators of services to people with disabilities, people engaged in conducting medical or scientific research relating to people with disabilities, business concerns, and labor organizations. A majority of NCD members are people with disabilities.”
The Center for Universal Design: “The Center for Universal Design (CUD) is a national information, technical assistance, and research center that evaluates, develops, and promotes accessible and universal design in housing, commercial and public facilities, outdoor environments, and products.”
