2D. Built Environment Accessibility

Source: The Body of Knowledge

This section emphasizes that the Universal Design principles were designed for the built environment before they were applied to digital environmennts. In built environments, the planning, designing, construction and maintenance are different phases where inclusive principles may be implemented. When we speak of the 'built environments,' we are largely referring to buildings, public spaces, and transportation systems.

Just as 'shifting left' to incoporate UD in design is less expensive than remediating digital products, the same applies to built environments where retrofitting inaccessible designs is ultimately more expensive than if these prinicples were incoporated in design phase.

It is common for the 'minimum standards' of national regulations to reflect an 'accomodations' approach over an UD approach. UD is recommended by many countries as a best practice, though it is not a requirement for compliance.

Some questions that accessibility for the built environment considers might include:

• How accessible is entrance and exit from this building?
• How accessible is the evacuation plan from this building?
• How safe is this building for Disabled people?
• How accessible are the individual rooms and floorplans of this building?
• How accessible is navigatory information, such as signs?
• How accessible is this transit route?
• Can Disabled people access this means of transport reliably?

Source: Council of Europe, Accessibility: Principles and Guidelines (PDF)

This a pretty dense document from 2004 that sounds like it was translated, likely from the French. The source establishes that with a raising population of Disabled people, it is for the better of society that accessibility not hinder Disabled people from enjoying their human rights. Six focus areas are named as composing a larger accessibility plan for Europe:

1. Integrated Solutions

This is an argument for a universalizing approach, as opposed to an accomodations approach. We might even want to incoporate this into our standards.

2. Building for Everyone

This argues that everyone, not just Disabled users, benefit from universally designed spaces. Age, familiy situation, and occupation are named as three factors that might otherwise 'handicap' a non-Disabled person.

3. Accessibility Chart

An 'accessibility chart' would be a full inventory kept by urban planners of all public buildings as well as their accessibility classifications. This information should be made available to the public and provides a transparent assessment of the status of accessibility on the municiple level.

4. Monitoring

This argues that broad surveys on the effectiveness of accessibility planning be established and conducted regularly.

5. Architectual education

Develop curriculum for 'integrated solutions' alongside people with disabilities and propogate it at the undergraduate level, as well as offering more opportunties for continued education around these topics.

6. International cooperation

All member states should participate in exchanging information, practices and findings as we embark on this journey together.

The second section of the document walks you through various architectural considerations on a 'imaginary journey.' It pelts you with considerations that must be made for various aspects of architectural design. At nearly every turn, we can make parallels towards the 7 Universal Design Principles, so I'm going to attempt to list out the considerations that they ask us to make with respect to these principles.

Principle #7: Size and Space

• Outside
  • Pedestrian corridors have enough space to accomodate different sizes and assistive technology: they are not too narrow, they do not have unexpected obstacles, they do not have things that tall people can bump into.
  • Parking spaces have enough space and aren't too narrow for wheelchair users.
• Public Transport
  • Features can accomodate people of a range of sizes. For example, straps for standing passagers are not too high that shorter people cannot reach them, and seating space is not so small that larger passengers cannot use them.
  • Adequate space is provided for the use of assistive devices on approach: wheelchair users can enter the vehicle.
  • Adequate space is provided for the use of assistive devices within the vehicle: aisles are not too crowded.
  • People of various sizes can enter the vehical: stairs are not too steep that a person of shorter stature cannot reach them.
• Buildings
  • Adequate space is provided for use of assistive devices on approach: there are no obstructions in the entrance, and the approach is not too narrow, as the door is not too low.
  • Users who need more space to navigate within the building can do so: corridors are not too narrow, and users of assistive technology can access bathrooms, toilets, balconies, and storage rooms.
  • Users of various sizes can access interior features, such as cabinets, letter boxesentrances, specially adapted toilets for wheelchair users, induction loops for the ‘hard of hearing’ and housing for elderly people. This ‘item ised approach’ still views people with disabilities as exceptions to the rule., and coat racks. These things aren't too high to be out of reach.

Principle #4: Perceptible Information and Principle #3 Simple and Intuitive

• Outside
  • Signage is perceivable. The lettering is big enough and there is adequate lighting.
  • Signage is supplemented by understandable icons so that people with a low reading level can still ascertain the information.
  • Curb cuts are implemented consistently so that Blind pedestrians can orient themselves.
• Public Transport
  • Information about routes and destinations are perceivable. The lettering is big enough and there is adequate lighting.
  • Route information is supplemented by understandable icons and images so that people with a low reading level can still ascertain the information.
• Buildings
  • The building's approach is designed that Blind people can understand where it is and navigate to it.
  • Stairs are textured so that they are usable by Blind people.
  • Building materials are chosen that support Blind people's ability to navigate autonomously throughout the space.

Principle #6: Low Physical Effort

• Outside
  • Ensure the pathways can be used with reasonable operating forces. Ensure inclined surfaces aren't too smooth and that level differences are only there when necessary. Ensure that paths are not unecessarily uneven or bumpy.
• Public Transport
  • Ensure users can approach without using excessive physical effort. Steps aren't too steep, and hopefully aren't necessary for a person to enter the vehicle.
• Buildings
  • Users can navigate buildings with low physical effort. Lifts are present, ramps aren't too steep or slippery.
  • Doors can be opened and closed with minimal physical effort.

Principle #5: Tolerance for Error

• Outside
  • Minimize hazards. Don't provide a ramp that is too steep or slippery. Minimize free obstacles so that Blind people don't easily run into them.
  • Provide failsafes, ensure that there is space for users to rest if they have exerted themselves too much.
• Public transport
  • Consider that it is often impossible for people to reach a safe space before the vehicle starts to move, and provide failsafes as you can.
• Buildings
  • Don't use building materials that are hazardous for people with allergies, cardiac and pulmonary conditions.
  • Create stairs and ramps that aren't hazardously steep or slippery both at the building's approach and between the levels within.

Principle #2 Flexibility in Use

• Outside
  • Adapt to the user's pace, ensure pedestrians have ample time to cross the road.
• Buildings
  • Provide options for access. Some people may be more comfortable with a lift than a ramp.
  • Ensure the building is designed in ways that can accomodate individual preferences for furnishing.

Principle #1 Equity of Use

• Outside
  • Provide equivelant experiences for users that can walk and users that require assistive technology, for users that are sighted and users that are blind. Where there are differences in levels, or printed signage, there should be alternative ways to navigate and maneuver.
• Public Transport
  • Provide equivelant entrance methods for users that can walk and users that require assistive technology, for users that can use stairs and those that cannot. Ensure that all users can benefit from the safety and security features of the vehicle.
• Buildings
  • All users should be able to enter a building and access every level and rooom of it. Provide a ramp if there are stairs and do not segregate or stigmatize the users in doing so. Ensuring the building isn't made of material that's bad for those with pulmonary diseases is another step that must be considered.
  • All users regardless of disability should be accounted for in the evacuation plans.

In the third and final section of this document, the authors lays out why integrated approaches (their way to refer to UD) are superior to accomodation-based approaches.

We don't see much here that the other articles on Universal Design haven't already touched on. The one difference here is that these are policy people trying to argue for the implementation of 'integrated approaches' within standards across Europe. They are really adament that truly everyone benefits from integrated approaches, and that we must move on from making Disabled people 'exceptions to the rule.'

In order to create an accessible environment, it is necessary to approach standard-setting by taking into account limits of uncertainty rather than the ‘standard average’. We need to address the relationship between the individual and his environment in broader terms. This means that the range of ‘normality’ must be extended: in terms of anthropometry, physical capabilities and psychological characteristics. Now, an integrated approach can be seen aimed at the anonymous user and allowing differences between individuals to be easily accommodated.

They also stress two more principles that must be followed in order for integrated solutions to be enjoyed equally by all: adaptability and interactivity. This reflects the principle of 'flexibility in use.' Adaptability reflects the ability for people of various disabilities to adapt to the space. Interactivity reflects the ability of Disabled people to go further and customize the space to their liking.