THE BETTER ANGELS OF OUR NATURE Randy Nishimura, AIA, CSI, CCS
buildings they design. They have learned to If we could travel back through time and ask some of history’s most revered architects listen respectfully to and learn from others whether they believe their work is “inclusive,” who have different life experiences than their own. undoubtedly many would assert without any hint of irony that it is. Of course, with Still, architects cannot assume they know the benefit of hindsight and our current what is right. They must be willing to place experience we know their buildings often themselves in the position of others who may do (or did) exclude or alienate end users. These buildings unwittingly failed to speak to be very different from themselves and avoid the needs and comfort of many people from the trap of insular or parochial perspectives. An inclusive mindset should always be a all walks of life. They may have presented prerequisite to programming and design. or continue to present barriers of all sorts; Another is being able to envision successful discouraging or barring use for reasons of spaces through the eyes of those who will age, physical or developmental abilities, benefit from them most. This is proving gender, income, cultural beliefs, or other as necessary today as it ever has in the factors. past. Our current, nationwide conversation regarding persistent, systemic racism speaks To the credit of our society and more to how much remains to be done in this specifically, the architectural profession, country and elsewhere. The goal continues designing with inclusivity and diversity in mind—appealing to and accommodating as to be removing barriers to participation and the persistent inequities that debase broad a cross-section of users as possible— everyone. is now at the forefront of considerations for every new project. This evolution toward Beyond conformance with enforceable inclusive design is in part attributable to the mandates—such as state building codes and advent of legislated protections, such as the federal accessibility requirements—what are Civil Rights Act (1964) and the Americans some of the concrete strategies the design with Disabilities Act (1990). It is also a professions can employ to support diversity product of the collective social change and the creation of inclusive spaces? that has transformed cultural and social institutions over time, and consequently First and foremost, architects must our perception of cultural norms. Architects acknowledge their biases and the privilege are more considerate today of the myriad they enjoy. They might not be aware of factors that influence whether everyone the hurdles others regularly confront if they will feel comfortable and welcome in the
don’t experience those hurdles on a daily basis themselves. Research is necessary to gain an understanding of issues the members of the community who will be affected by the project consider important. Second is a focus on equality of experience. Accessibility guidelines ensure built places meet minimum standards for the mitigation of physical barriers. Designed correctly, ramps will not be too steep, hallways will be wide enough, faucets will be operable without requiring tight grasping and twisting, and so on. Generally, architects are thoroughly familiar with the guidelines, so much so that incorporating their requirements occurs without second thought. The trick is to integrate the measures seamlessly so they avoid the appearance of being targeted specifically to a particular subset of the population. If done ham-handedly, they might inadvertently stigmatize the very people they’re intended to help. The imperative to safeguard equality of experience extends well beyond conformance with minimum standards. In a perfect world, everyone would always feel comfortable and welcome in places they have a right to encounter and use. Thoughtful, good design can help ensure people do not miss the possibility of desirable experiences because they anticipate personal risk. For example, to be
able to relate to and comfortably choose to have a new experience, they should be able to preview and imagine its impact and meaning and assess its opportunities. Design-wise, this might translate to making spaces where one can watch things happening without immediately needing to participate themselves. For example, the configuration of a plan might provide opportunities to pass by a place to observe what is happening before committing to joining in. People find places and situations that are overly complex or reveal themselves all at once (as opposed to being slowly revealed) overwhelming and confusing. Such conditions are not inclusive. The need to address inclusivity, diversity, and choice in the built environment comes from the inevitable collision between the relative permanence of what is built and changing circumstances and value systems. Activities and purposes change. People are wonderfully diverse and different. Sometimes the differences are minor; sometimes the differences are enough to erode the very foundation of what has been built. Because of this, the built environment must be able to flex. The best places do this without losing the ability to evoke and inspire. By providing an open, opportunityrich structure—structure that offers many possibilities and many suggestive cues— they sustain both their usefulness and their meaning over time. (Cont. Page 4)
Riverfront Park Rendering Credit: Emily Proudfoot, City of Eugene
The American Institute of Architects | Oregon
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www.AIAOregon.org
