Discussion of Universal Design
Selene Faer Dalton-Kumins, Acting Operations Manager for Eligibility & Outreach, MetroAccess
Ms. Dalton Kumins’s presentation on Universal Design touched on the following points:
- Seven principles of Universal Design
- The goal of Universal Design: to encourage open or "universal" thinking
- Universal design was primarily created for use in physical design but can be extended to other types of design principles.
Ms. Dalton-Kumins noted that the principles of Universal Design can be "jumping-off point" for design discussion. Seven Principles of Universal Design
She said that she wants to focus on the way people think about accessibility for people with disabilities and noted that cost is often associated with issues of access for those with disabilities, which is not the case in providing access for other groups.
Ms. Dalton-Kumins also said that she advocates "region wide" thinking in terms of accessible design – design should be consistent across the metropolitan area, without regard to the jurisdiction. She said that consistency is a huge part of making universal design work.
She the provided some simple examples of universal design:
- Audible and visual traffic alerts/pedestrian crossings
- Limited English Proficiency – Image-based signage
- Bus stop posts – different shape than a post used for street signs
Q&A
Q: There is a gap between what is articulated in design principles vs. what is actually implemented.
Q: There was a period when architectural clients would bring up the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as cost issue, but that now it’s considered a standard business practice. WMATA can help make people more conscious to the need to think differently about such issues.
A: "Designing to the ADA" is designing to a law, which may possibly change. By designing more universally, there will be fewer retrofitting in case specific regulation/legislation changes.
Q: Metrobus used to have distinctive posts, which could make it easier for passengers with visual impairments to locate a bus stop sign. In the case of curb cuts, wheelchair users (among all of the constituencies that benefit from curb cuts) are the only segment of the population that has the force of law behind them.
A: There would be greater acceptance if more segments of the community stood up for more universal design methods.
For an interview on Universal Design, see Episode 103 of “Perils For Pedestrians”:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-47182498017539885
Courtesy of John Z Wetmore
john@pedestrians.org
Producer of "Perils For Pedestrians"
A television series on satellite, cable, and the Internet.
www.pedestrians.org
For more ideas about Universal Design, see Roger Lewis, Universal Design, Comfort and Function for All, Washington Post, March 17, 2007 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/16/AR2007031600885.html?sub=AR
