Disability and Design

Paraolympics coming soon. It was more as a hobby for disable people in the past and now we can see absolutely fantastic people. What they do its just unbielievable.While thinking about it,it come a new idea to my head for my boogazine :Disability design. I have done a project in past in college and I have design a bedroom for disable person. I have looked into my previous research and looked into what is happening in the field. Definiltely there is much more happening now than 3 years ago. While researching I have found few examples of beautiful designs and also a definition call Universal design. I remeber it was quite challenging to do the design as there is not much happening in the field. All products were designed and looked like Hospital products. Nothing innovative. Nothing modern. How much changed in it? Lets have a look and first explain the universal design.


 Universal design refers to broad-spectrum ideas meant to produce buildings, products and environments that are inherently accessible to both people without disabilities and people with disabilities.

The term "universal design" was coined by the architect Ronald L. Mace to describe the concept of designing all products and the built environment to be aesthetic and usable to the greatest extent possible by everyone, regardless of their age, ability, or status in life.^[1] However, it was the work of Selwyn Goldsmith, author of Designing for the Disabled (1963), who really pioneered the concept of free access for disabled people. His most significant achievement was the creation of the dropped curb - now a standard feature of the built environment.
Universal design emerged from slightly earlier barrier-free concepts, the broader accessibility movement, and adaptive and assistive technology and also seeks to blend aesthetics into these core considerations. As life expectancy rises and modern medicine increases the survival rate of those with significant injuries, illnesses, and birth defects, there is a growing interest in universal design. There are many industries in which universal design is having strong market penetration but there are many others in which it has not yet been adopted to any great extent. Universal design is also being applied to the design of technology, instruction, services, and other products and environments.
Curb cuts or sidewalk ramps, essential for people in wheelchairs but also used by all, are a common example. Color-contrast dishware with steep sides that assists those with visual or dexterity problems are another. There are also cabinets with pull-out shelves, kitchen counters at several heights to accommodate different tasks and postures, and, amidst many of the world's public transit systems, low-floor buses that "kneel" (bring their front end to ground level to eliminate gap) and/or are equipped with ramps rather than on-board lifts

 source:wiki

 Beautiful example with fresh colours abd without the hospital look. 

 This universal toilet design is the work of Changduk Kim and Youngki Hong. It was designed to eliminate the need for oversized handicap-accessible bathroom stalls that always seem to be larger than my studio apartment. The commode part of the toilet can be sat on frontward or backward to easily accommodate wheelchair users and the average pooping Joe. The wall-mounted part of the toilet includes handles, a chest/back rest and an attached sink.

The front controls of the pictured cooktop paired with an accessible installation create a great solution in universal design.

Seven Principles of Universal Design

Developed by Ronald Mace and the Center for Universal Design, North Carolina State University
1.Equitable Use: In order to achieve equitable use, the design should be useful and marketable to people with diverse abilities. The design should provide the same means of use for all individuals (identical whenever possible, equivalent when not), without segregating or stigmatizing any users. The design should also be appealing to all, with the same provisions for privacy, security, and safety equally available to everyone.
2. Flexibility in Use: To achieve flexibility in use, the design should accommodate a wide range of individual preferences and abilities. Users should be provided with choice in method of use and design should accommodate right- or left-handed access and usability (e.g. right- versus left-handed scissors). In addition, the design should facilitate the user's accuracy and precision, and provide adaptability to the user's ability and pace.
3.Simple, Intuitive Use: Designs that offer simple and intuitive use should be easy to understand, regardless of the individual's experience, knowledge, language skills, or current level of concentration. The use of the design should be consistent with the user's expectations and intuition, and information should be arranged in a manner consistent with its importance. Unnecessary complexity should be eliminated wherever possible.
4.Perceptible Information: Designs should effectively communicate the necessary information to the user, regardless of ambient conditions or the user's sensory abilities. It is important to incorporate different modes of communication (pictorial, verbal, tactile) to provide redundant presentation of essential information. The legibility of essential information should be maximized by providing adequate contrast between the information and its surroundings.

5.Tolerance for Error: To provide tolerance for error, designs should minimize the hazards and adverse consequences of accidental or unintended actions. Elements should be arranged to minimize hazards and errors. The most used elements should be the most accessible, while potentially hazardous elements should be shielded, isolated, or eliminated. Designs should provide warnings of hazards and errors, as well as fail safe features.
6.Low Physical Effort: Designs that require low physical effort must be able to be used efficiently and comfortably by all users, with a minimum of fatigue. It is important for the design to allow the individuals to maintain a neutral body position and that the design should be able to function with reasonable operating forces. The need for the user to undertake repetitive actions or exert a sustained physical effort should be minimized.
7.Size and Space for Approach and Use: Designs should provide appropriate size and space for approach, reach, manipulation, and use, regardless of the individual's body size, posture, or mobility. Both seated and standing users should be able to comfortably reach all components of the design, with a clear line of sight to any important elements. The design should accommodate variations in hand and grip size and provide adequate space for the use of assistive devices, such as wheelchairs and walkers, or personal assistance.

Fourteen Universal Design Tips

Following are some basic ways to include universal design in a project. What others can you add to the list?
Install wide doorways and hallways.
Use pocket doors when possible.
Use lever−style door and faucet handles in place of round knobs.
Install good task lighting
Include differing levels of countertops.
Use contrasting colors to define the edge of a countertop.
Choose flooring and countertops in contrasting colors.
Specify appliances with contrasting labels/knobs.
Make sure knee clearances have a minimum width of 30 inches, but 36 inches is ideal Clearance should also be 27 inches high and 19 inches deep.
Toe kick clearance should be 9 inches high and 6 inches deep.
Include a rolling cart in the kitchen.
Choose cabinets with pullout shelves.
Provide seating so cooks can sit while preparing meals.

 Some laundry pedestals will incorporate a shelf to hold laundry baskets, allowing the user to move clothing articles more easily from washer to dryer while reducing bending.