Inclusivity & Accessibility When it comes to play, no single design solution exists to meet the variety of different abilities and styles. Accessibility requirements are a
play spaces. For example, the principle
When imagining playgrounds as
minimum standard from which to work
recommending “minimal physical effort”
inclusive spaces, we consider not only
for more accessible and inclusive
conflicts with children’s desires to
building for the richness of experiences
playgrounds. While existing directives
experience challenging spaces.
focus on a particular range of disabilities, experience and research tell us that persons living with various disabilities have a vast and often dissimilar range of needs and desires. Working toward meeting the spectrum of those needs necessitates a design commitment to inclusivity.
pieces of equipment that can “solve” accessibility and move toward engaging deeply and situationally, within a particular space and community, to see what inclusivity means. In doing so, we work together-with our clients, with children and their families, wider
While principles of universal design,
communities, and advocates-through
developed for the built environment,
careful and creative ideas about the
provide useful guidance for architects
inclusivity of play beyond legislative
of public spaces, some of them remain
requirements.
counter to the purpose of outdoor 16
We must move beyond imagining
which could delight children with different disabilities, but also think about opportunities for peers of different abilities to play side-by-side. We think about encounters that could be challenging and enticing for older children (a factor particularly important for families with children in different age groups). We think about spaces which offer parents and guardians chances to either comfortably participate in play, or rest amidst playing children.
