Sooner or later most of us will lose a portion of our hearing – some to the point where it affects our everyday life. How to design inclusively for people who are hard of hearing is the topic of an article in ArchDaily. It lists six design tips and outlines features that can assist people to work and socialise more easily:
Interior layout and visibility
Brightness, light and reflections
Multisensory spaces
Acoustic optimisation
Materials, objects and new technologies
The article, Architecture for People with Hearing Loss: 6 Design Tips, concludes with: “In short, a truly inclusive design does not always necessitate hyper-awareness of special considerations, but can simply mean incorporating needs that tend to be basic for everyone, regardless of their physical conditions.” There are links in the article to other resources.
Deafness is a major cause of social isolation and inability to work effectively. Hearing aids are only a partial solution – that’s because they amplify all sounds including background noise. Being able to see the face of someone talking is a great help. Captioning of live events and videos is a must for taking in information and enjoying the plot of a movie.
Regional and rural areas of NSW have a higher percentage of older people, particularly in areas popular with older tree-changers and sea-changers. So the draft Urban Design Guidelines for Regional NSW should take this into account. The seven objectives in the draft guidelines are: Better Fit, Better Performance, Better for Community, Better for People, Better working, Better value, and Better look and feel. They are explained in detail and will typically apply to the public realm, town centres, infill developments, and greenfield developments. This 90 page guide also includes a useful profile of each region. The website has a FAQ sheetand a webinar on good urban design in the regions.
Each of the design objectives would benefit from an overlay of universal design concepts. The document explains that “Design draws together many fields of expertise … [with] often competing requirements … that meets the needs of many and diverse groups”. A universal design approach automatically draws these groups together. However, such an approach is left up to individual councils.
Note: These draft guidelines were open for public comment during 2018-2019, but they are still in draft form.
We shape our building and thereon, they shape us is an oft quoted Churchill saying. I wonder if he knew how much they also shape our health and well-being. Koen Steemers’ articleon this topic outlines the definition of wellbeing and health and the implications for architecture. He also provides “rules of thumb” for design based on extensive research. Steemers acknowledges there is no one-size-fits all for healthy design. So the aim is to optimise every aspect wherever possible. It is interesting to note that he puts accessible housing into the list as a must. Architecture for well-being and health is a very comprehensive and readable guide for the built environment professions.
“Whether people are healthy or not, is determined by their circumstances and environment. To a large extent, factors such as where we live, the state of our environment, genetics, our income and education level, and our relationships with friends and family all have considerable impacts on health …” World Health Organization: The determinants of health.
How smart can a smart city be? ‘Smart’ is everything from the footpath to the website. So not so smart if it doesn’t include everyone and join the dots between all the factors that make a city a city. With digital transformations happening worldwide, the aim of the Smart Cities for All Toolkit is to eliminate the digital divide and improve urban environments for everyone.
The main part of the toolkit, the Inclusive Innovation Playbook, is detailed and aimed at a policy and planning level. Stakeholder participation and inclusion is an essential theme. Case studies assist with understanding. There is a helpful checklist at the end of the Playbook.
There’s a lot to digest, but this means it isn’t a cursory overview with simplistic solutions. It goes much deeper than a digital accessibility checklist. This is about joining the dots across city assets and leveraging them for everyone’s benefit. Other sections of the toolkit cover:
Toolkit Overview
Guide to adopting an ICT accessibility procurement policy
Implementing priority ICT accessibility standards
Communicating the case for stronger commitment to digital inclusion in cities
Database of solutions for digital inclusion in cities
“The toolkit supports a range of organizations and roles related to Smart Cities, including government managers, policy makers, IT professionals, disability advocates, procurement officials, technology suppliers, and developers who design Smart City apps and solutions.
Each of the tools addresses a priority challenge identified by global experts as a barrier to the digital inclusion of persons with disabilities and older persons in Smart Cities.” See also Smart Cities for All: A Vision.
James Thurston of 3Gict came to Sydney in 2019 and discussed the issues and solutions in his keynote presentation in the video below.
5 Pillars of a Smart City
James Thurston is G3ict’s Vice President for Global Strategy and Development. He previously worked for Microsoft, so he knows the territory well. His keynote presentationat UD2021 Conference showed that technology is improving but it’s not inclusive. Cities have to do a lot more if we are to meet the challenges of the digital world.
He lists the five pillars as:
Strategic Intent: inclusion strategy and leadership
Culture: citizen engagement and transparency
Governance & Process: procurement and partnerships
Technology: Global standards and solution development
A sense of belonging is an aspect of universal design not often discussed. However, including people with autism/autistic people in plans and designs, it’s a very important element. But what’s the best way to include this group in the planning process? An article in the American Planning Association magazine provides some answers based on the Six Feelings Framework.
Six Feelings Framework
1. Feel connected – because they are easily reached, entered, and/or lead to destinations. 2. Feel free – because they offer relative autonomy and the desired spectrum of independence. 3. Feel clear – because they make sense and do not confuse. 4. Feel private – because they offer boundaries and provides retreat. 5. Feel safe – because they diminish the risk of being injured. 6. Feel calm – because they mitigate physical sensory issues associated with autism.
The Autism Planning Design Guidelines covers urban design, retail, parks, campuses and more. It’s by the American Planning Association and it’s got everything in detail. There’s a webinar on the topic too (see below). The guide is underpinned with the Six Feelings Framework.
The guide is based on extensive research and it is recommended that:
City and regional planners activity accommodates people with autism in their public involvement process.
City and regional planners implement autism standards building on this 1.0 attempt into their zoning and design guidelines, and consider policy changes.
Professionals in affiliated fields who have concern over the public realm test, retest, and improve the ideas in this toolkit.
Civil engineers retrofit infrastructure around the Six Feelings Framework.
Real estate developers who are designing master planned communities consider the Six Feelings Framework in their plans.
Planning with people with autism
An American Planning Association magazine has an article about planning with people with autism/autistic people. The first part of the article describes some of the everyday things that can cause anxiety. For example waiting for a bus that doesn’t arrive on time, or two come at once. This can result in confusion followed by poor decision-making for a short time afterwards.
The article tells the story of a group of planners, researchers and community stakeholders working with people with autism/autistic people. People on the autism spectrum aren’t all alike so the group had to find a way to include as many people as possible.
Preparing and facilitating the event
The first step is to think carefully about how to facilitate more inclusive public meetings and workshops and hear the voices of this overlooked group. Many people with autism process information differently to the neurotypical population and have different ways of expressing their thoughts.
Large public events can be loud, distracting with overlapping conversation and too many ideas to take in at once. Smaller focus groups are a better way to go with. The key points in the American Planning Association article, When Every Day is Sensory Overload are:
Preparation
Learn about autism – ask professionals in the field
Choose the right venue – no flickering lights or unusual colour
Familiarise participants with the space before the event – photos, floor plans, directions, quiet spaces
Establish quiet rooms – signage to quiet rooms from the main meeting place
At the meeting
Keep visuals ready – photos help focus participants
Encourage a range of sharing methods – let participants share they ideas in their own way
After the meeting
It is likely that some participants won’t be able to participate as much as they would like. Or they might come up with ideas after the event. Participants should be encouraged to connect with facilitators by email.
The Ohio State University also uses the Six Feelings Framework in their Autism Planning Guidelines. There is also a webinar on the guidelines.
Sensory Garden Preferences
Psychologists and urban designers drew together elements preferred by the autistic community. The graphic below lists the key elements of both soft and hard scape in order of priority. Many of these elements are enjoyed by everyone such as comfortable seating and water features.
What does washroom and change room design have to do with social justice? Darryl Condon answers this question in a Pools and Leisure Magazine article. He has a good grasp of all the relevant design issues across the diversity and inclusion spectrum for universally designed leisure facilities.
The advice and information is explained using a universal design approach, which makes it relevant to other public facilities. Condon lists five design strategies that designers can take away. At the end of the article he advises that with any new facility, a diverse group of users should be consulted. A very thoughtful articlein this international magazine published via issuu. It has other articles of interest to designers and architects.
The article, Designing for Inclusivity: Strategies for universal washrooms and change rooms in community sport and recreation facilities, is on page 48. Pictures and graphics are a nice addition.
The article begins: “What does washroom and change room design have to do with social justice? A great deal. As architects, we must consider the social impact resulting from all aspects of our work. Universal washrooms and change rooms are increasingly crucial in the design of recreation and sport facilities and are one element in our approach to more impactful design”.
This article is also on Linked In and probably easier to read than the issuu version. The picture is from the Linked In version. The social inclusion aspect is also discussed by Katherine Webber in Toilets, Taboos and Design Principles.
Compliance with legal requirements in public spaces is rarely enough to guarantee access for everyone. People with invisible disabilities are often left out of designs. A focus on technical aspects often results in spaces that are still challenging for many. The American Society of Landscape Architects has a Universal Design page where they list some of the disabilities and impairments regularly overlooked. For example, dementia, deafness, vision loss, and autism. The classic 7 Principles of Universal Design are re-jigged to suit landscape design:
Floor finishes, lighting, acoustics, hearing systems, signage and alarm systems are all included in a guide to taking a universal design approach to internal environments and services.
Building for Everyone covers each of the features in detail. Of course, they also have to be considered within the overall design of the building.
There is also a section at the end on human abilities and design. It covers walking, balance, handling, strength and endurance, lifting, reaching, speech, hearing, sight, touch and more.
Universal design approach to fitouts
All you ever wanted to know about reception desks, waiting areas, storage, coin operated machines, kitchen sinks and ticket dispensers? These and other related topics are covered in a guide to taking a universal design approach to facilities in buildings. This is a companion to the internal environments booklet. One of the key issues in creating universally designed places and spaces is that the details are often left until last and not integrated into the whole of design.
What can you do to improve compliance with disability access standards when they are misunderstood, seen as too hard to implement, and where buildings are in a serious state of disrepair? This was the challenge set by Australia’s overseas aid program in Sri Lanka. The aim of this project was to find a way to educate built environment professionals in Sri Lanka about complying with disability access regulations. Rather than take a text book approach to explaining the standards, the training group decided to take a universal design approach. That meant focusing on the reasons why certain designs were needed, not just the need to apply the standard.
In her paper on this project, Penny Galbraith details the particular issues Sri Lanka faces. Major heritage sites, assets in complete disrepair, obsolete infrastructure, and transport conveyance designs from previous centuries all contribute to the complexities. “Universal design was the ideal starting point, not least because of its emphasis on users, but also that it allows for acknowledging and embracing cultural factors which is very important given ethnic tension in Sri Lanka”.
The online tool for Dementia Enabling Environments has a section on dementia friendly public buildings. It’s an interactive design tool. So clicking on a room in the floor plan brings up a 3D view of the room. Hovering the mouse over question marks in the room brings up more detailed information about design ideas that are good for people with dementia. Of course, these designs are usable for almost anyone else who is ambulatory, including people with other cognitive conditions.
This is an excellent resource that takes accessibility beyond the access codes which don’t cover this level of design. The Dementia Enabling Environments tool also covers homes, care settings, and gardens and nature. There are links to other resources as well.
Cognition and inclusive design
Practitioners and researchers are seeking more solutions for people with sensory and cognitive impairments, particularly dementia. But our building standards are silent on this growing issue. Time to think about cognition from an inclusive design perspective.
The value of designing an age-friendly environment is discussed in an article by Hadjri, Afacan, and Gadakari. As with all universal design features, the authors argue inclusion needs to be embedded in the early stages of design. See the abstract below for more on the content.
You will need institutional access for a free read, otherwise purchase the chapter. You can also try ResearchGate to ask for a free read.
From the abstract
This chapter will explain and discuss the principles, role and importance of Inclusive Design particularly in the context of an ageing society. It will review the changing and complex user needs and requirements through case studies and current work of leading organizations.
Current standards do not take account of cognitive needs and more needs to be done by policy makers. Findings of recent research on users’ needs and requirements will be reviewed and Inclusive Design will be examined to assess the use of technology in embedding accessibility during the design stage.