Some thoughts regarding the Universal Design for Accessibility
What is the universal design?
Well, there might be many definitions regarding the context, in architecture, we can talk about the development of space design with many users in mind to accommodate different requirements and avoid isolating some users from the community.
Architecture and Universal Design:
Many Architectural firms are dedicated to developing projects focusing on mixed-use buildings, housing, and urban planning plans. In different cases in these large-scale projects, exist a tendency to ignore or simplify the need of the users to generate functional and accessible spaces. We speak of accessibility to the elements of a project in unnoticed ways and independent of restrictions and barriers.
One of the key concepts is the idea to provide stealth solutions that remain unnoticed and provide functional solutions.
In modern architecture developments, it is common to solve problems in the connections of environments with technology, which can be positive or negative. Accessibility is considered in various projects only in the accesses or the minimum by the rules, generating and ending up in an environment that is not accessible and universal. A simple and common example is the lack of guide elements for cane users generates inconsistency in the navigability of the environment, a more complex, not to solve but to identify, might be the lack of accessible maps of a shaping mall, that includes color, brail, tactile walls, voice assistance or visual assistance.
The development and encouragement by the government:
In 2022 various newborn programs developing accessible unification plans for cities of better quality for all users, countries are starting to develop regulations to generate universal accessibility standards with which architects and project developers can create and professionals are being formed with some specialized knowledge. However, few countries promote the understanding of accessibility that can generate benefits for all.
Different universities aim to develop sustainable architects and engineering, but if these new buildings and plans are not accessible, who's gonna use them?
Documents such as the "2014 Universal Accessibility Reference Guide" (Accessible City Corporation) or "Guia de la Barcelona Accesible"(Rovira-Beleta) explore solutions for urban development, presenting reflections and conceptual solutions to problems that affect everyone.
Various countries are generating the individual right to accessibility.
Are we studying enough?
As architects, engineers, etc. There is a need to constantly improve our information libraries, updating ourselves on the latest developments in the sector and looking for ways to improve our solutions, whether they are green, structural, human, or accessible solutions.
Always seeking to push the sector for the creators of the new generations of professionals and involve them in new accessible designs, eliminating the concepts of solutions thanks to technologies, thus creating more accessible architects.
Universal design is not only architecture, it can be used as a concept for all products, services, and solutions.
Cruise ships and the challenge of universal design:
Regarding the idea of Universal Design, the cruise ship industry has a long way to adapt and overcome the existing barriers, being for other regulations or design choices, one advantage is the possibility to renew the spaces from scratch but different from hotels the cruise ship works better if an Urban and Hotel Accessible solution is applied and studied since many areas with different use are integrated.
Sometimes the regulations are not the best but shall be improved and shall only provide a range (a tale for another article). Colors, contrast volumes, guides, etc. are part of the solutions that shall be implemented in the industry accompanied by innovative solutions and stealth accessibility.