Accessible buildings are buildings that are fit to an acceptable degree for persons with any form of impairment. Is your building accessible?
Making a design accessible is a challenge in any design; digital or non-digital. Even websites have accessibility requirements such as alternate texts, font sizes, colours, etc. It’s often easier to design believing that all users of our products don’t have anything that affects them when using our designs.
I once wrote to you about a man who had gone for registration and was informed that he needed both eyes to complete his registration. That registration product did not obey the rules of universal design for a registration exercise that involved the public. If you haven’t read it, do so here.
During my Master’s degree, my final year project was to design a Performing Art Center with a focus on accessible buildings. I had to study the various requirements that when utilized effectively, will render a building fit and accessible for persons with any form of impairment. Note that universal designs are accessible designs.
ADA means American with Disabilities Act. It’s an international standard document that provides guidelines for designing for accessibility. ADA requires all designers to provide equal access and opportunities to every user, irrespective of limitations.
Accessibility checks in simple term is a checklist for identifying if a building is fit and suitable for persons with an impairment. According to Techopedia, Accessibility testing seeks to understand how well digital content complies with established usability standards for persons with an impairment.
While the latter definition applies to digital products, the test we wish to discuss here applies to building products for persons with mobility impairment, visual impairment, and hearing impairment. Every design must put them into consideration to an acceptable degree.
I would not go into full description by writing details and specifications, but here are a few checklists to rouse your mind on what to look out for. You may be physically fit today and you may need to have an accessible building fitting tomorrow.
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Mobility impairment
In designing for persons with only mobility impairment, considerations are made with respect to the following.
Check for ramp, handrail, and ramp slope; should be gentle and should have a non-slip surface. Minimum width 900mm (3 feet).
Check for guards/up-stands/kerbs along pathways.
Check the door opening size; minimum of 900mm (3 feet).
Check for accessible doors; usually permits swing in both directions and have a kick plate.
Check corridor widths; minimum of 1500mm (5 feet), recommended 1800mm (6 feet).
Check for accessible parking on site; minimum of one every 25 parking spaces.
Check for accessible toilets (minimum 1500mm diameter turning circle); minimum of one for each gender and must be marked as accessible.
Check for changes in surface height above 13mm; such changes should be ramped.
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Visual impairment
In designing for persons with only visual impairment, we consider colours and the removal of obstructions.
Check the colour of elements like doors; should contrast with the colour of the surrounding surfaces so as to be distinguishable for these persons.
Check for obstacles protruding into the corridor, vertical heights of obstruction; overhanging signs dropping from any height must have a clearing of 2100mm (7 feet) to avoid hitting heads into objects due to poor sight. All obstructions must be within a cavity.
Check for proper illumination in all spaces, especially for stairs and lobbies.
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Hearing impairment
For persons with only audio impairment, considerations are made with respect to the following.
Check that all spaces are equipped with an audio-visual alarm system that has a bell and light signals to alert visually-impaired and hearing-impaired users simultaneously.
Check for Assistive listening systems, especially in public buildings.
Check for Signages with lightboards.
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Note that I speak of impairment, which means they have a degree of ability to move around on their own if need be. Persons with multiple impairments will require assistance and are not expected to move around on their own.
This public building fails the accessibility test. Apart from having indiscriminate raised floors with no ramp in site, the presence of the hose reel in this position poses a threat to persons with visual and mobility impairments.
The design requirement says to remove any obstruction as they may not see it or see the obstruction clearly. The use of recessed wall cavities caters to the placement of safety elements like this hose reel.
In the exterior design of buildings, designers do not enjoy the look of ramps, and the inconvenience of incorporating them into a design but some architects have been able to do it effortlessly. Consider the Jinghe new city culture art centre by Zaha Hadid Architects.
Gentle ramp slopes were incorporated into the building form.
If you have tested your building for accessibility and it’s a course for concern, you can reach out to us by clicking on the Whatsapp text below.
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Yours everly.
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