thumb|A [[curb cut is an example of universal design, making the curb accessible to those with and without wheelchairs.]]

Universal design is the design of buildings, products, or environments to make them accessible to all people, regardless of age, disability, or other factors. It emerged as a rights-based, anti-discrimination measure, which seeks to create design for all abilities. It addresses common barriers to participation by creating things that can be used by the maximum number of people possible. "When disabling mechanisms are to be replaced with mechanisms for inclusion, different kinds of knowledge are relevant for different purposes. As a practical strategy for inclusion, Universal Design involves dilemmas and often difficult priorities." However, due to some people having unusual or conflicting access needs, such as a person with low vision needing bright light and a person with photophobia needing dim light, universal design does not address absolutely every need for every person in every situation. It can change the socio-material relationships people have with spaces and environments and create positive experiences for all kinds of abilities, which allows for meaningful participation across multiple demographics experiencing disability.

Barrier-free design

In 1960, specifications for barrier-free designs were published as a compendium of over 11 years of disability ergonomic research. In 1961, the American National Standard Institute (ANSI) A1171.1 specifications were published as the first Barrier Free Design standard. It presented criteria for designing facilities and programs for use by individuals with disabilities. The research started in 1949 at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and continues to this day. The principal investigator, Dr. Timothy Nugent, who is credited in the 1961, 1971, and 1980 standards, also started the National Wheelchair Basketball Association.

The ANSI A117.1 standard was adopted by the US federal government's General Services Administration under the Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards (UFAS) in 1984, then in 1990 for Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The archived research documents are at the International Code Council (ICC) - ANSI A117.1 division. Dr. Nugent made presentations around the globe in the late 1950s and 1960s, presenting the concept of independent functional participation for individuals with disabilities through program options and architectural design.

Another comprehensive publication by the Royal Institute of British Architects published three editions (1963, 1967, 1976 and 1997) of Designing for the Disabled by Selwyn Goldsmith (UK). These publications contain valuable empirical data and studies of individuals with disabilities. Both standards are excellent resources for the designer and builder.

Disability ergonomics should be taught to designers, engineers, and nonprofit executives to further the understanding of what makes an environment wholly tenable and functional for individuals with disabilities.

In October 2003, representatives from China, Japan, and South Korea met in Beijing at the Northeast Asia Standards Cooperation Forum and agreed to set up a committee to define common design standards for a wide range of products and services that are easy to understand and use. Their goal is to publish a standard in 2004 which covers, among other areas, standards on containers and wrappings of household goods (based on a proposal from experts in Japan), and standardization of signs for public facilities, a subject which was of particular interest to China as it prepared to host the 2008 Summer Olympics.

Design for All

Selwyn Goldsmith, author of Designing for the Disabled (1963), pioneered the concept of free access for people with disabilities. His most significant achievement was the creation of the dropped curb—now a standard feature of the built environment.

The term Design for All (DfA) is used to describe a design philosophy targeting the use of products, services and systems by as many people as possible without the need for adaptation. "Design for All is design for human diversity, social inclusion and equality" (EIDD Stockholm Declaration, 2004). According to the European Commission, it "encourages manufacturers and service providers to produce new technologies for everyone: technologies that are suitable for the elderly and people with disabilities, as much as the teenage techno wizard." The origin of Design for All lies in the field of barrier-free accessibility for people with disabilities and the broader notion of universal design.

Design for All has been highlighted in Europe by the European Commission in seeking a more user-friendly society in Europe. was launched under the lead of the European Commission and the European Member States in 2002. It fosters Design for All for eInclusion, that is, creating an information society for all. It has national contact centres (NCCs) in almost all EU countries and more than 160 network members in national networks.

  • EIDD - Design for All Europe is a NGO and a 100% self-financed European organization that covers the entire area of theory and practice of Design for All, from the built environment and tangible products to communication, service and system design. Originally set up in 1993 as the European Institute for Design and Disability (EIDD), to enhance the quality of life through Design for All, it changed its name in 2006 to bring it in line with its core business. EIDD - Design for All Europe disseminates the application of Design for All to business and administration communities previously unaware of its benefits and currently (2016) has 31 member organizations in 20 European countries.
  • EuCAN - The European Concept for Accessibility Network started in 1984 as an open network of experts and advocates from all over Europe in order to promote and support the Design for All approach. The coordination work of EuCAN and the functioning of the network are mainly voluntary work. In 1999 the Luxembourg Disability Information and Meeting Centre (better known by its acronym "Info-Handicap") took over the coordination of the steering group, together with the implicit responsibility for the follow-up of the European Concept for Accessibility (ECA). The EuCAN publications—like ECA—aim to provide practical guidance. They are neither academic nor policy documents.

Principles and goals

The Center for Universal Design at North Carolina State University expounded the following principles:

  1. Equitable use
  2. Flexibility in use
  3. Simple and intuitive
  4. Perceptible information
  5. Tolerance for error
  6. Low physical effort
  7. Size and space for approach and use

Each principle is broader than those of accessible design or barrier-free design and contains a few brief guidelines that can be applied to design processes in any realm: physical or digital.

  1. Body Fit
  2. Comfort
  3. Awareness
  4. Understanding
  5. Wellness
  6. Social Integration
  7. Personalization
  8. Cultural Appropriateness

The first four goals are oriented to human performance: anthropometry, biomechanics, perception, cognition. Wellness bridges human performance and social participation. The last three goals address social participation outcomes. The definition and the goals are expanded upon in the textbook "Universal Design: Creating Inclusive Environments."

The "barrier-free" concept

building modification consists of modifying buildings or facilities so that they can be used by people who are disabled or have physical impairments. The term is used primarily in Japan and other non-English-speaking countries (e.g., German: Barrierefreiheit; Finnish: esteettömyys), while in English-speaking countries, terms such as "accessibility" and "accessible" dominate in everyday use. An example of barrier-free design would be installing a ramp for wheelchair users alongside steps. In the late 1990s, any element that could make the use of the environment inconvenient for people with disabilities was (and still is) considered a barrier, for example, poor public street lighting. In the case of new buildings, however, the idea of barrier-free modification has largely been superseded by the concept of universal design, which seeks to design things from the outset to support easy access.

Freeing a building of barriers means:

  • Recognizing the features that could form barriers for some people,
  • Thinking inclusively about the whole range of impairment and disability,
  • Reviewing everything—from structure to smallest detail,
  • Seeking feedback from users and learning from mistakes.

Barrier-free is also a term that applies to accessibility in situations where legal codes such as the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 applies. The process of adapting barrier-free public policies started when the Veterans Administration and the US President's Committee on Employment of the Handicapped noticed a large number of US citizens coming back from the Vietnam War injured and unable to navigate public spaces.

Examples

Barrier-free design

The types of Universal Design elements vary depending on the targeted population and the space. For example, in public spaces, universal design elements are often broad areas of accessibility, while in private spaces, design elements address the specific requirements of the resident. Examples of these design elements are varied and leverage different approaches for different effects. Some examples include:

Communication

  • Bright and appropriate lighting, particularly task lighting
  • Auditory output redundant with information on visual displays
  • Visual output redundant with information in auditory output
  • Contrast controls on visual output
  • Use of meaningful icons with text labels
  • Clear lines of sight to reduce dependence on sound
  • Volume controls on auditory output
  • Speed controls on auditory output
  • Choice of language on speech output
  • Signs with light-on-dark visual contrast
  • Web pages that provide alternative text to describe images
  • Instruction that presents material both orally and visually
  • Labels in large print on equipment control buttons
  • Audio description, closed captioning
  • Quiet zones in educational and work places

Access and mobility

  • Public transit systems with low-floor buses that "kneel" (bring their front end to ground level to eliminate the gap) and/or are equipped with ramps rather than on-board lifts.
  • Smooth, ground-level entrances without stairs
  • Surface textures that require low force to traverse on level, less than force per rolling force
  • Surfaces that are stable, firm, and slip resistant per ASTM 2047
  • Wide interior doors (3 feet, or 0.91 m), hallways, and alcoves with 60" × 60" (152.4 cm × 152.4 cm) turning space at doors and dead-ends
  • Functional clearances for approach and use of elements and components
  • Ramp access in swimming pools

Ease of use

  • Lever handles for opening doors rather than twisting knobs
  • Lever faucet or button faucet for turning water on and off rather than twisting knobs
  • Single-hand operation with closed fist for operable components, including fire alarm pull stations
  • Components that do not require tight grasping, pinching or twisting of the wrist
  • Components that require less than of force to operate
  • Light switches with large flat panels rather than small toggle switches
  • Buttons and other controls that can be distinguished by touch
  • Gesture movements enabled spaces that may one day help control temperature, lighting, social atmosphere, and other sensory qualities of an environment.
  • Audiobook
  • Automatic door
  • Electric toothbrush
  • Flexible drinking straw
  • Google
  • Low-floor bus
  • Q-Drums
  • Tactile paving
  • Trolley case (roll-along suitcase)
  • Velcro

Other useful items for those with mobility limitations:

  • Washlet
  • Wireless remote-controlled power sockets
  • Wireless remote-controlled window shades

Laws, policies and standards

National legislation

  • Brazil - Lei Federal 13.146/2015, a Lei Brasileira de Inclusão da Pessoa com Deficiência (Estatuto da Pessoa com Deficiência).
  • Chile - Ley nº 20.422, "ESTABLECE NORMAS SOBRE IGUALDAD DE OPORTUNIDADES E INCLUSIÓN SOCIAL DE PERSONAS CON DISCAPACIDAD."
  • U.S. - Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and Section 508 Amendment to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The ADA is a law focusing on all building aspects, products and design, which is based on the concept of respecting human rights.
  • Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act
  • India - Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights & Full Participation) Act, 1995
  • United Kingdom - Disability Discrimination Act 1995, Disability Discrimination Act 2005 and Equality Act 2010
  • Ireland - Disability Act 2005
  • France - Loi n°2005-102 du 11 février 2005 pour l'égalité des droits et des chances, la participation et la citoyenneté des personnes handicapées (Act n°2005-102 of 11 February 2005 for equality of rights and of opportunities, for participation and for citizenship of people with disabilities)
  • South Korea - Prohibition of Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities, 2008
  • Norway - Discrimination and Accessibility Act of 2009
  • Vietnam - National Law on Persons with Disability, enacted 17 June 2010.
  • Canada - Accessible Canada Act, enacted 11 July 2019.

Policies

  • Ontario, Canada
  • United States of America.
  • Mexico City, Mexico. "Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo's Plan for Government."
  • Document describing 12 points of intention for the government, the following are directly related to accessibility in Mexico City – Building construction — Accessibility and usability of the built environment (available in English and French)
  • ISO 20282-1:2006 – Ease of operation of everyday products — Part 1: Context of use and user characteristics. ISO 20282 is based on ISO 9241: Ergonomics of Human System Interaction and applies the wider principles to "the user interfaces of everyday products".
  • ISO/TS 20282-2:2013 – Usability of consumer products and products for public use — Part 2: Summative test method, published 1 August 2013

Funding agencies

The Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center (RERC) on universal design in the Built Environment funded by what is now the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research completed its activities on September 29, 2021. Twenty RERCs are currently funded.

The Center for Inclusive Design and Environmental Access at the University at Buffalo is a current recipient.

Common shortcomings

Aswan case study

One study conducted in Aswan, Egypt, published in the Journal of Engineering and Applied Science, aimed to explore the accessibility in three administrative buildings in the area. They were looking for universal design in entrances and exits, circulation of traffic within the building, and wayfinding within the building's services. which states that the environment is the disabling factor upon a human. The flaw within the social model of disability is that no matter how universal a design is made out to be, the impairment a human is disabled by will not go away. For example, adding an automatic door opener will not heal someone's broken arm. Universal design does not "fix" a problem relating to disability, rather helps to better equip areas to be accessible to all regardless of what factors may characterize their every day life.

Bibliography

See also

  • Autism friendly
  • Curb cut effect
  • Development plan
  • Disability rights movement
  • Inclusion (disability rights)
  • Inclusive design
  • Right to mobility
  • Sensory friendly
  • Transgenerational design
  • Universal usability
  • Urban planning

References

  • Universal Design Product Collection - a digital collection of over 200 products through our two gallery installations of the Unlimited by Design exhibition and a traveling exhibit called "live | work | eat | play." - from the University at Buffalo Libraries