“ARE WE DESIGNING FOR ALL”?

⁃D R.K A V ITH A M U RU G K O N
SUMMARY

In this article the author talks about spaces around us and how equal opportunities should
be provided in neighborhood providing a safe healthy harmonious environment which
should be inclusive in nature and in turn gives rise to an inclusive society. Access for shelter
should be given as a basic need for all. the wheelchair users feel left out and vulnerable 4 to
8% are differently abled and 20% of senior citizens who feel excluded due to accessibility and
provision of a disabling environment.

She talks about how in western culture people are conscious of their requirements and have
included provisions. There, every citizen is addressed in design process and is designed for
barrier free and accessible environment is created for all. That is the reason for the life
livability index being extremely high. She talks about how disability is universal and can occur
to anyone any time and how we must be prepared for it.

Victor Paraneet States “A good design enables and bad design disables “. Not even handful of
our buildings are accessible to all. This causes a huge loss to economic sector as a big chunk
of people are left out. People feel like creating special features like senior-citizen housing,
home for the disabled, special schools rehab centers as an empathetic need, is in fact
discriminating them from others.

A universal design approach creates an environment which is usable by all without need for
adaptation to general design. Universal design is an emerging concept in architecture that
explores relation between disability, diversity, design, democracy, equity and self-reliance.
It’s a means to address social sustainability by using design as an equalizer.

She talks about how many new ideas and methods have been implemented and many
organizations formed like design for all and by provision of providing independence and
mobility to all users. By keeping universal design as main idea for strategy, with principles of
equal access many countries have made buildings fully accessible .

Accessibility guidelines set out by building regulations working with universal design doesn’t
demand a lot of knowledge but it requires the requirements and standards with
understanding needs of functionally disabled and the result of this enables provision of
accessibility not based on building regulation but in-depth research and understanding of
users knowledge essential to build fully accessible buildings for everyone She talks how there
are no fully barrier free cities in the world, but there are few working for friendly ideas to
include accessibility like Barcelona, Singapore, Milan, Denmark etc. Smart cities can’t be
smart until it is a city for all. Provision of inclusion and diversity both act as heart of planning
and uses technology to enhance life of older and disabled. Incorporation of Ramps, handrails
and tactile guiding path, accessible toilets, lifts and universal signage design should be done.
All this remains is general ideals taught in school, minimally practiced. Architects are
apathetic to issues of disability.
As per NBC 2016 and Right for persons with disability act 2016, it is mandatory to provide
accessibility and non-compliance is liable.
Architectural institutes stereotype thinking about design for all is “dull non-creative and
restraining”. They need to provide both social and environmental inclusion. Need of hour is to
upgrade our knowledge and practice by understanding concept of technical aspects, more
examples which are inclusive for all. We should unite everyone with their differences not divide.

RELEVANCE

I strongly agree with the article as it talks greatly about how ignored the topic of universal
disability is, when it should in-fact be the most important one. And how it is necessary to create
a safe and harmonious environment to live.

I side with the author as she states all the ways in which we must achieve accessibility for all
and how disability is universal, as she empathizes with the differently abled users.11:24 PM
It is necessary to provide inclusion and barrier free access to everyone, without the need to
adapt to adapt to general design.

The fact that the design should be based should be based on principle of equal access is what I
believe in, as stated by the author. It is also true that the result of understanding the user and
having technical knowledge
Results in creating accessibility not based on building regulations but based on in-depth
research and understanding of users to build a fully barrier free environment for everyone.

CRITIQUE

The author states that the reason that livability index of few countries is high due to the fact
that they design for everyone, I strongly disagree with this statement as other than designing,
there are various other factors which determine how livable a city is. In a sense, the statement
shows disregard to countries which are adopting to means of accessibility now.

Another point where the author emphasis that creating senior citizen centers, housing for the
differently abled, special schools and rehab centers is done as an emphatic need is
discriminating them from others is something I disagree with, as creating special spaces for
those with extra is not for the purpose of making one feel excluded or different. It a way to
show them that they are cared for by the people. It also creates a sense of unity as people can
empathize with others going through something similar and makes them feel like they’re not
alone.

The author also states that universal disability is a topic architects are often apathetic to, and it
is narrowed down as just an idea taught in architectural schools. However I believe that in
today’s world, people are more into the idea of barrier free design which is accessible to all.
People have moved beyond framing universal design as dull, non creative and restraining design
to something interesting which solves the problem of universal accessibility.