FEATURED ARTICLE
Working from anywhere: the role of access consulting by Mary Ann Jackson and Saumya Kaushik
Mary Ann Jackson is a registered Architect, Planner, and Accredited Access Consultant. Mary Ann is currently undertaking a PhD focused on built environment accessibility at neighbourhood scale and is Director of Visionary Design Development Pty Ltd. Saumya Kaushik is a registered Architect and Project Services Manager of Visionary Design Development Pty Ltd.
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orldwide, COVID-19 has materialised a ‘new normal’. This short ‘thought piece’ invites discussion on the role of access consulting/consultants in the increasingly normal scenario of (government/ professional services) office workers, facilitated by communication technology, working from anywhere, where ‘anywhere’ is, frequently, one’s home and/or the nearest cafe and/or other neighbourhood location.
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Government-issued work-from-home (WFH) directives have seen office blocks emptied of workers, instigating increased use of digital work/ communication platforms accessed from ‘unintentional’ workspaces. In Australia, while restrictions have eased in early 2021, ongoing concern about the epidemiological safety of public transport has resulted in reduced patronage and increasing private vehicle use, likely counteracting climate change mitigation. In Victoria, almost everywhere one looks, much is being posited about Melbourne’s post-pandemic ‘new normal’. A focus on active travel (cycling, walking etc) and street level reactivation are common themes. And, indeed, at first impression, Melbourne’s ‘new normal’ within the public realm pedestrian environment, particularly in the CBD and inner urban areas, appears to be the proliferation of parklets for increasing outdoor dining space, more street art, and heightening attention to bike lanes. Although much is being put forward there is not necessarily consensus on
THE MAGAZINE FOR THE ASSOCIATION OF CONSULTANTS IN ACCESS AUSTRALIA
