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In today’s world, where inclusivity and diversity are increasingly recognized as fundamental values, it is imperative that we re-examine our architectural designs to ensure they are accessible to all individuals, regardless of their abilities.
Ethical design choices in architecture go beyond mere compliance with regulations; they demonstrate a commitment to creating spaces that are welcoming, functional, and equitable for everyone.
In this article, we take a closer look at what inclusive design really encompasses in practice and how we can start implementing it. The article aims to inspire you to think outside able-centric design standards, and to widen your perspective of the diversity of users that could potentially use and enjoy the spaces you create. The focus of this article is on wheelchair accessibility.
The term accessible design is mostly associated with web design. Focusing on the usability of websites, mobile applications, and technology by disabled people. However, accessible design is a comprehensive approach that ensures environments, products, and services are inclusive and usable by all people, regardless of their abilities. It goes beyond merely meeting accessibility standards, aiming to create spaces that empower, respect, and promote human dignity.
Chicago Architecture Center assesses accessibility in architectural design by the availability of ramps, elevators, and widened doors for wheelchair users; visual cues and enhanced auditory signals for sensory disabled people; and visual distinctions for cognitively and visually disabled people. More examples are mentioned on their website here. However, where do we draw the line between lawful and social responsibility? In the following part, we explore this intersection.
A distinction needs to be made between accessible and inclusive design. What is accessible is not necessarily inclusive. Our understanding of inclusive design matures when instead of thinking in terms of our policy obligation to disabled rights, our design thinking shifts to an empathic one. Abled designers may find themselves limited in their imagination when creating designs that cater to the challenges of disabled users. Adhering to regulatory standards is feasible but how do we create spaces that are genuinely inclusive and socially aware?
It is crucial that we continuously involve disabled individuals in the design process. We must have conversations with them, get to know them, and understand their day-to-day struggles. Or simply, putting ourselves in their shoes.
İlayda Soyupak investigated how experiencing disability can help architecture students develop awareness of disability issues in design. The study found that students who participated in the experiential learning activity identified many problems with the accessibility of their campus. They reported feeling negative emotions like fear, sadness, and anger due to the physical barriers they encountered. This experience helped them develop empathy for people with disabilities and understand the importance of inclusive design. Read the research paper here.
For this reason, designers are encouraged to not only adhere to rules and regulations, but also truly understand the challenges and the emotional impact experienced by disabled people, to improve accessibility.
“Until recently, discussion about equality and the built environment focussed on physical access – or the lack of it. As physical access has improved, the discussion has widened to address cultural and economic access, recognising that design plays a vital role in including, and often excluding, communities.” – CABE
In the following paragraphs, we move on from building an experiential foundation to exploring concrete examples of what is meant by socially aware architectural design in practice.
One of the most critical aspects of inclusive design is ensuring wheelchair accessibility. This encompasses ramps, elevators, and automatic doors, as well as adequate maneuvering space within buildings and on exterior grounds.
In 2010, the U.S Department of Justice Civil Rights Division (ADA) published an expansive set of accessibility standards and regulations that include details such as the exact measurements of counter heights, width of doors and corridors, and the ratio of slopes. You can read more about it here.
Even though these regulations ensure the basic livable standards for wheelchair users, they don’t necessarily factor in comfort and a sense of belonging. What if doors and corridors of a living space had the ideal measurements for a wheelchair to maneuver, but the flooring choice is not made with the target user in mind?
The floors would be usable, but are they comfortable, durable, and sustainable?
Slip resistant and friction proof floors are mandated by the ADA. Nevertheless, comfort is factored in when we for example consider floor material that does not harm the wheelchair’s functionality, nor the floors themselves by the use of the wheelchair. Lilly Cao, author of “What Types of Residential Floors Favor Wheelchair Circulation?” recommends “hardwood floors, vinyl plank floors, or tile floors”. Cao adds that these floor types are stable, firm, and resist deformation by the force of wheelchairs.
“Inclusive design means a place to live that is adaptable, practical, secure and somewhere you want to settle.” – CABE
So far, we have discussed accessible residential design. However, the same principles apply to non-residential spaces like hospitals, shopping malls, and leisure spaces. By incorporating wheelchair accessibility into our architectural plans, we not only enable individuals with mobility impairments to navigate spaces independently but also create a more inclusive environment for all users.
Inclusive design is a vastly diverse and intersectional discipline. The aim of this article was to inspire you to widen your design lens. Ethical design choices extend beyond the physical built environment. They also encompass the prosocial aspect of architecture. Inclusive design can help to break down barriers and promote social inclusion by creating spaces where individuals with disabilities can participate fully in community life.