Journal 8

Design and Accessibility

Accessibility is one of the most important aspects of design. The lecture on Design and Accessibility gave a short introduction of what is accessibility in design, what is universal design, and where you may be able to find examples of this approach to design and production. I chose Design and Accessibility as the topic for my Media Review because I've taken some classes on the subject before and find it to be very interesting. The idea of accessibility and universal design as a basis for the design process which motivates functionality, form, and representation is something that should be taken seriously. Design is a human-centered function and in order for it to achieve the best possible results, it must be easily accessible and functional for its user.

In some design fields such as architecture and interior design, accessibility is often perceived as those requirements called for by the ADA, American with Disabilities Act. ADA requirements are enforced by law in new construction or renovation and therefore are most apparent to users. As a building block to universal design and accessibility, it is important for all designers to be familiar with the ADA Standards for Accessible Design. You may access the ADA Standards for Accessible Design 2010 and Guidance on Guidance on the ADA Standards for Accessible Design 2010 by following these links.   

Today, most public entities and organizations endeavour to incorporate accessibility and universal design in their daily operations. A good example of these organizations is the National Endowment for the Arts which has developed and published a handbook for Universal designed titled "Design for Accessibility: a Cultural Administrator's Handbook." This publication's goal is to provide an equal opportunity for all users and audiences to be able to access the arts easily and efficiently. As we had spoken earlier in the course, design is not necessarily limited to those things that are physically designed and produced but can also include processes, delivery methods, and more. The NEA handbook is a great example of a holistic approach to accessibility and can be viewed here.

While the requirements of ADA are very important, it is necessary to recognize that accessibility in design is not limited to those required by this Act. Accessibility must be evaluated based on the specific users of a design and the physical abilities of those users. An interesting view of this approach to universal design is presented by Paul Bennett in the following speech where he calls for attention to small details in design. Bennett does not refer to his examples as being "Universally Designed" but the final products are successful due to their ability to respond to the abilities of their users.



Design for accessibility can be integrated into our daily life without taking drastic measures. Since most everything around us is a product of some design process, it is not difficult to see that it is possible to improve the same by incorporating some basic provisions for accessibility. Whether its the handle on your door, the chair you're sitting in, or the desk you're working on, it can be improved and made more functional and accessible with a small change in design. A great example of this is the incorporation of universal design principals in kitchen  and bath designs. The following video shows a universally designed kitchen that is appropriate and functional for its users. You can see that the small changes provided in the design of this kitchen provide for the comfort and happiness of the family using the space.



It is exciting to see that today's designers are becoming more concerned with the relationship between their design and the users of their design. Smart Design in Manhattan is a design firm focused on producing designs that are centered around their interactions with the user. The following video is Smart Design's approach to understanding the user's experiences with the public bathroom and re-designing an old idea into a new and improved one.


Dwell presents | The Bathroom Reinvented: Universal Design in Public Bathrooms from gary nadeau on Vimeo.