ACCESSIBLE EVERYDAY Innovation & accessibility in the built environment
Content
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Introduction
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Open innovation – what and why?
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Become a part of Innosite
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The struggle for equal opportunities begins with accessibility
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The contest 1. prize: Accessible Everyday for Everybody 2. prize: Easy Access 3. prize: Roller Ramp
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Water & Variation Inside/Out UDWoonlabo Barrier Free Cylindrical Steel Bar Accessible Everyday Compressive Threshold Stooping Step Tipping Door Recessed Threshold Door Frame
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The jury
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ACCESSIBLE EVERYDAY Level access entrances that make society more accessible for all, achieved through open innovation
Building entrances with level access are a fundamental condition for society to develop toward greater equality by ensuring that persons with a physical disability have the same degree of access as everyone else. This publication focuses on accessibility and on designing level access entrances as a way of making society more accessible for all. The publication is based on the contest ACCESSIBLE EVERYDAY, which was held on the innovation platform Innosite.dk in autumn 2013. In the contest, the Danish Architects’ Association called for creative, innovative and functional ideas for the design and construction of level access entrances. In addition, the entrances also had to prevent rainwater from getting into the building and provide effective insulation against heat and cold.
functional, user-friendly and innovative solutions for creating level access entrances. The goal of this publication is to inspire the actors in the construction industry, both with regard to accessible design and construction and with regard to trying out open innovation – whether as a company or an organisation looking for outside input to a development task or as someone who wants to contribute with innovative answers to construction challenges and thus help drive development in cooperation with others. Enjoy!
Innosite – open innovation in construction
A total of 46 proposals were submitted and reviewed by a professional jury representing a variety of perspectives on accessibility, design and innovation. In this publication the jury members offer their views on accessibility in the built environment, best practices, legal requirements, the role of research in expanding and refining our understanding of the concept of accessibility and our responsibility for ensuring the physical conditions for an equitable society. In the introduction, Natalie Mossin, chairman of the jury and president of the Danish Architects’ Association, shares her thoughts on the need to transform challenges into potentials and make accessibility for all a natural part of any design process. The publication also presents the three winning proposals and nine other, selected proposals, which demonstrate
Innosite.dk is a web-based innovation platform that matches a development need with good ideas in an open approach to innovation where companies and organisations can include external contributors in development process and thus discover solutions and input that lie outside their own customary approaches. The development assignments are presented on the website in the form of contests that invite the site users to contribute with ideas and answers to the challenge. Innosite is the first open innovation platform in Denmark aimed at the construction industry. It is an initiative by Realdania in partnership with the Danish Energy Agency, operated by the Danish Architecture Centre.
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Open innovation is a concept that is used in corporate development; it encourages companies and organisations to include external actors and knowledge in their development processes
Open innovation What and why?
Why be content with your own ideas when you have the whole world at your disposal? With the innovation platform Innosite.dk the construction industry can now tap into an open innovation method to generate development and solutions.
development processes. An open innovation process can be highly valuable for companies and organisations that wish to break through with new solutions, whether the goal is new products or processes, new sales approaches or new organisational structures.
Surveys show that innovative companies are generally more productive than companies that do not work with innovation. And that open innovation has a significant positive influence on a company’s capacity for genera ting value through innovation activities.
Innosite lets private and public companies and orga nisations launch open innovation contests to bring in external input and solutions as a means of using knowledge from external partners – customers, users, suppliers, education and research institutions etc. – actively in the innovation process.
One of the ways that the construction industry can become more innovative is increased cooperation – both across the industry’s value chain and among companies and research institutions in the sector. The innovation platform Innosite.dk was launched in late 2011 as the first open innovation platform in Denmark that targets the construction industry. It was initiated by the Realdania foundation and the Danish Energy Agency, and the platform itself was developed and is operated by the Danish Architecture Centre. Innosite is aimed at the construction industry but is open to all actors, industries, professions and nationalities and currently has more than 2,000 users from around the world with a wide range of different professional backgrounds and areas of expertise. Why open innovation?
Breaking the barrier
Traditionally, the construction industry has not been known as one of the most innovative industries, and so far, the use of open innovation methods has only seen limited use. One reason for this may be that the construction industry is made up of many small companies, which means that working with open innovation requires competencies and resources that exceed the individual companies’ own capacity. That may present a barrier to engaging in innovation – including open innovation – which means that the industry’s innovation potential is underutilised. However, working with external input does not have to be costly or a drain on resources. The key is to see opportunities when planning where and when the collaboration and the knowledge sharing can take place.
Open innovation is a concept that is used in corporate development; it encourages companies and organisations to include external actors and knowledge in their
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Become a part of Innosite
Innosite matches the need for innovation with good ideas. By joining Innosite you can help strengthen innovation in construction, whether you are looking for innovative solutions or whether you have a great idea to offer. The innovation platform Innosite.dk makes it simple to share, qualify and choose ideas – which benefits both the companies or organisations engaged in a development task and the companies or individuals who contribute with solutions. As more and more companies and organisations have shared their challenges on the innovation platform, the site’s user community has grown to more than 2,000 and now includes a wide range of professional competencies from all over the world. If you would like to be a part of Innosite and contribute to the challenges presented here you need to register as a user on the site. Then you can offer your proposals in the various contexts on the platform or comment on other users’ ideas and thus take part in the collective development process. Private or public companies or organisations that wish to launch an open innovation contest on Innosite.dk need to contact the Danish Architecture Centre to discuss the possibilities. So far, the site has hosted contests with 13 different contest owners, and new contests are already in the pipeline for 2014. The activities on the online platform are supported by a number of face-to-face offline events such as seminars, conferences, idea salons and exhibitions that focus on the potentials of the open innovation method and the results of the individual contests. Read more at www.innosite.dk
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The struggle for equal opportunities begins with accessibility
By architect MAA Natalie Mossin, president of the Danish Architects’ Association and jury chairman in the contest ACCESSIBLE EVERYDAY.
Good architecture provides a physical setting that empowers people to achieve their dreams by enabling them to lead a full life. In our rich everyday life we may get the impression that a good setting for everyday life begins with a new kitchen, a summerhouse with a view or a new balcony. But the good life begins somewhere else entirely when we speak about the built environment. It literally begins at the front door to our homes, workplaces or public libraries. And this brings up an issue that should be a natural challenge for all architectural solutions to address: accessibility. Because far too many people cannot get across the threshold, and far too many are, consequently, excluded. A good setting for everyday life is a setting that does not discriminate – a setting that welcomes everyone. The ambition cannot be anything less – neither in Denmark nor anywhere else in the world.
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Accessibility as an obvious feature
It is the hope of the Danish Architects’ Association that by 2050 we will no longer need to talk about accessibility, because by then we will be able to take the accessibility of our built environment for granted. Here, architects and designers have an important role to play, as we are the ones who design and plan components, buildings and urban spaces. That is the background for the common accessibility policy adopted by the Danish Architects’ Association, the Danish Association of Architectural Firms, the Danish Landscape Architects’ Association and Danish Designers. The policy is based on the 50 articles that make up the UN’s Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Our common goal is to eliminate discrimination and to promote a respectful acknow ledgement of diversity, which includes accessibility for all. Our accessibility policy aims to ensure equal opportu nities for all with high-quality architectural solutions. That is a powerful vision, but achieving it is not without challenges, for a number of reasons. For example, the many requirements, regulations and standards
A good setting for everyday life is a setting that does not discriminate – a setting that welcomes everyone. The ambition cannot be anything less – neither in Denmark nor anywhere else in the world
associated with accessibility may seem confusing and thus stand in the way of new and innovative solutions. Our hope is that we can use the architectural method to transform challenges into potentials and make accessibility a natural part of any design process.
It is my hope that this publication will inspire especially architects, designers and planners to take up the challenge of equal access for all in their day-to-day work.
Therefore, the Danish Architects’ Association advocates functionally defined requirements. In our view, the key requirement is access for all. That calls for the necessary leeway to challenge the regulations. Our regulations should not be so rigid that they limit the space for new approaches and innovative solutions. Access for everyone
The contest ACCESSIBLE EVERYDAY at Innosite.dk led to 46 innovative proposals for technically sound and beautiful architecture that welcomes everyone. Many of these proposals offer new angles and perspectives on accessibility. Force4 Architects won the contest with an inspiring proposal for how we can all include accessibility as an intuitive tool in the architectural process.
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The contest
How to design a level access entrance that also keeps rainwater out of the building and provides effective insulation against hot and cold weather? One of the main challenges in designing level access entrances is climate-related. Increasingly extreme temperatures and a growing emphasis on sustainability and energy efficiency raise the bar with regard to providing insulation and a close seal, whether the purpose is to keep the building cool or warm. At the same time, extreme downpours increase the risk of flooding and of rainwater entering the building. As a result, entrances are often raised a level from the street, and rails or moulding are installed to prevent water from getting in. These shifts in level pose a barrier to many people, including wheelchair users and other persons with a physical disability.
The jury
The submitted proposals were assessed by a jury comprising the following members: –– Natalie Mossin, President of the Danish Architects’ Association (Jury Chairman) –– Stig Langvad, Chairman of the Disabled Peoples Organisations Denmark –– Annette Krath Poulsen, Architect, Industrial Designer and Founder of AKPdesign –– Susanne Nour Magnusson, Director of department, Danish Institute for Human Rights –– Camilla Ryhl, Professor, Senior Researcher, Architect and PhD, Danish Building Research Institute –– Carsten Lykke Graversen, Architect, MA (architecture), Danish Energy Agency Read more about the jury at www.innosite.dk Prizes
The contest ACCESSIBLE EVERYDAY focused on the need to create level access entrances combined with requirements related to rainwater protection and insula tion, calling for innovative, creative and functional ideas for designing and constructing level access entrances. Assessment criteria
The jury assessed the extent to which the proposal is: –– Innovative: Are existing solutions applied in a new and alternative way? –– Functional: Can the proposal work in real life? Both in terms of accessibility and design and in terms of the rainwater and insulation requirements? –– Universal: Is the proposal applicable in different locations around the world and across building types?
1st prize: Presentation of the winning proposal at the world congress of L’Union Internationale des Architectes (UIA) in Durban, South Africa on 3 –7 August 2014. The 1st prize includes travel expenses and accommodation in Durban at a total worth of DKK 30,000 2nd prize: DKK 10,000 3rd prize: DKK 5,000 A total of 46 proposals were submitted for the contest. The three prize-winning proposals and nine other selected proposals are presented on the following pages. The contest period was 2 September through 24 October 2013. All the proposals are presented at www.innosite.dk
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Accessible Everyday for Everybody Force4 Architects Denmark
The 1st prize in the contest ACCESSIBLE EVERYDAY goes to Force4 Architects for a proposal that addresses the given challenge in a very holistic approach that includes specific ideas for the best physical design of a level access entrance.
long someone might take to pass through the door –– Operation: Making it comfortable, safe and user-friendly to operate the door –– Identification: A design that meets the user’s need to know whether they are in the right place
The winning proposal differs from the other submitted proposals by containing a thorough analysis of specific user groups and their primary accessibility needs. Thus, the solution not only addresses the needs of wheelchair users but includes multiple user groups, which reflects a very broad approach to the challenge of providing accessibility and access for all.
Intuitive accessibility and existing technologies
Five core needs
The eight user groups have different – and in some cases conflicting – everyday accessibility needs, but five essential core needs are shared by all eight groups: –– Barrier-free entrance: The meaning of providing a level access entrance is interpreted as giving all eight user groups equal access to the city and to society –– Communication: A clear design that is intuitive and simple to operate –– Automatic functions: A door that offers simple, fluid and safe passage for all users – regardless how
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The basic idea in Accessible Everyday for Everybody is intuitive accessibility, which means that the process of identifying and operating the entrance relies on logical principles and the deliberate stimulation of the individual senses. For example, a clear visual contrast to the rest of the building will help a person with low vision or an intellectual disability identify the entrance. A person who is blind will be able to hear the opening in the facade by virtue of the acoustic properties of the door leaf and the automated opening of the door. In relation to the requirement to keep water out and ensure a well-insulated and energy-efficient indoor climate, Force4’s solution applies existing technologies. In front of the entrance there is a permeable pavement, for example tiles or porous concrete, that allows rainwater to drain, while the door itself has built-in double magnetic seals that provide insulation and a tight and barrier-free closure.
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User groups
Allergies
Wheelchair
Reading difficulties
Obesity
Walking/arm/hand disability
Low vision/blindness
Hearing disability
Intellectual disability
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Lighting
Integrated LED lighting in door panel lights up the door
Automatic door opener
Provides simple and easy access for all user groups
Sound-absorbing material
Makes it easier for blind and partially sighted persons to identify the entrance
Push bar
An integrated element that makes it easier for all user groups to operate the door
Permeable paving
Leads water away from the pavement instantly
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Wire loop system
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Helps hearing impaired persons operate the door
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Directional information surface
Helps persons with low vision identify the entrance
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Visual contrast
Visual contrast makes it easier to distinguish the door from the facade
Motor for the door opener
Automatically opens the door to the necessary width
Facial recognition
Facial recognition technology identifies approved users and lets them in without requiring a key card etc.
Camera
Acts as a sensor for the door opening system and enables video dialogue for persons who are deaf or hearing impaired
Touch screen
Self-adjusting system that can be operated at different heights
Door-opening "kick button"
An alternative to the touch screen system
Magnetic door seal
Enables level access and a tight seal
Read more about the proposal at www.innosite.dk. Scan the code to access a video with the jury’s assessment of the winning proposal
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Easy Access Allan Lorenzen Carpenter, student in architectural technology and construction management programme Denmark
The 2nd prize goes to an innovative and simple solution that makes it possible to construct doorÂways without high bottom rails or mouldings. A simple mechanical insulation moulding provides effective insulation when the door is closed and keeps any water from getting in. In the Easy Access solution, accessibility is integrated into the door itself. As the door closes it pushes a grappler arm that rotates the insulation moulding. The rubber section of the insulation moulding is then pushed into a rabbet in the door. This ensures effective insulation and provides a water barrier. In front of the door, between the base and the tiles, a small groove leads rainwater away. Read more about the proposal at www.innosite.dk Scan the code to access a video with the jury’s assessment of the winning proposal
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Roller Ramp Richard Edwards Industrial Designer England; lives in Denmark
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The 3rd prize goes to a flexible low-tech ramp solution that demonstrates an exciting innovative version of the traditional ramp. Roller Ramp is an idea for a flexible ramp that can be rolled up and integrated into, for example, the entrance to a shop. The ramp is unrolled as needed, either manually or using a motor, which may be activated by a mobile phone via Bluetooth. In the design proposal, the ramp is made of hardened aluminium profiles, which makes the ramp very strong and rigid once it is unrolled. Read more about the proposal at www.innosite.dk
Scan the code to access a video with the jury’s assessment of the winning proposal
The ramp is rolled up in the floor by the entrance door and pulled out when needed. The ramp may also be operated with a motor. Provides access to shops and other facilities that would otherwise be accessed via steps. The ramp is able to bend around the profiles.
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Water & Variation Jonas Lambert Johansen Architecture Student Denmark
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Water and variation is a paving strategy for streets and open squares based on variations in level that turns the urban space into a landscape of puddles when it rains, thus eliminating the need for the many steps that cause problems for wheelchair users and others. The variations are mainly introduced as a small elevation at the entrance to a building with similar recesses nearby. This creates subtle variations that will not be a barrier to anyone and which lead rainwater away from the entrances to buildings.
Inside/Out Rasmus Thygesen Industrial Designer, MA (architecture) Denmark Inside/Out is a ramp that can be recessed manually. To avoid long ramps on building facades and to avoid taking up excessive pavement space, part of the ramp is built into the building. The bulk of the ramp is constructed as an interior element, but it extends out of the building to form a conventional step that can be folded down. A change in level keeps water from entering the building in case of extreme downpours. The ramp needs insulation on the underside or may alternatively be made as a foam sandwich construction.
Read more about all the proposals at www.innosite.dk
UDWoonlabo Barrier Free Mieke Nijs, Hubert Froyen & Jasmien Herssens Manager UDWoonlabo; Architect, Professor & Architect, PhD Belgium
UDWoonlabo, Barrier Free offers level access by replacing the traditional two-step (34 cm) threshold at entrance doors with a built-in lift platform inside the building. A wheelchair user can open the entrance door with an electronic key that activates the lift platform and sends it down to street level. Users who do not need the lift can lock it in place so that it acts as a conventional step.
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Cylindrical Steel Bar
Cylindrical Steel Bar acts as a “lock” that retracts if a person steps on it or a wheelchair drives over it. When the door opens the bar returns to its original position via a spring system that “locks” the door and keeps rainwater out. The solution can be constructed in a variety of materials including plastic, aluminium, steel or wood. Decompression and a drainage system let air and water escape.
Vidal Ruano Santos Architect Spain
EXT. EXT.
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Accessible Everyday The Logical Solution Team ACO/PLAN+LANDSKAB: Hans Olsen & Jacques Duelund Mortensen Engineer & Architect Denmark
Accessible Everyday – the Logical Solution is a customdesigned stainless steel grate with a narrow grid to be mounted on top of ACO Nordic’s standard drainage system. The solution is established by entrance doors, supplemented with a standard grate in cases where the footing is insufficient for a standard solution. The solution is widely applicable in all construction contexts and could be included as a standard product in ACO Nordic’s programme. The solution has not yet been launched but has been tested and installed in several places.
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Compressive Threshold Arthur Sandels Engineering Student Sweden
Compressive Threshold upgrades standard door openings with a hinged and compressible threshold in the form of a metal construction that is compressed when subjected to a load and then returns to its neutral position via shock absorbers as the load is reduced. It protects the building’s interior against rainwater and cold air just like a conventional threshold but has the added advantage of making the building accessible to wheelchair users.
Read more about all the proposals at www.innosite.dk
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Stooping Step MABZ Architects: Sadaf Ahadi & Kia Massoudi Architect & Landscape Architect Germany
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Stooping Step assists wheelchair users by transforming steps to ramps while also providing an effective drainage system for rainwater. With the push of a button in the floor/ ground on both levels, the step automatically collapses into a ramp. Afterwards, the step returns to its original state. The solution is easy to manufacture, maintain and replace.
Tipping Door Thomas Raben-Lange Architect Denmark Tipping Door is an integrated ramp installed by steps in front of entrances. The existing door is replaced with a new type of door that can fold down to act as a ramp. Technically, the pivot function is conceived as a further development of the side/bottom-hung doors and windows. In this case the function can be combined with an electric motor that can be operated by a wheelchair user. A joint that runs across the door leaf enables the ramp to adapt to the stair landing and street level.
Recessed Threshold Door Frame Taylor Shumate Architect USA Recessed Threshold Door Frame consists of a standard door frame and a recessed stainless steel threshold that is level with the floor when the door is opened all the way to provide easy access for wheelchair users. As the door is shut, the recessed threshold gradually moves up until the threshold is raised at a 90-degree angle. The solution is operated by the natural movement in opening and closing a door and therefore requires no additional action from the user.
Read more about all the proposals at www.innosite.dk
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The jury All submitted proposals were reviewed by a professional jury representing a variety of perspectives on accessibility, design and innovation. On the following pages the jury members offer their views on accessibility in the built
environment, best practices, legal requirements, the role of research in expanding and refining our understanding of the concept of accessibility and our responsibility for ensuring the physical conditions for an equitable society.
What will it take for legislation to promote ideal accessibility solutions in the built environment? Carsten Lykke Graversen
Architect, MA (architecture), works at the Danish Energy Agency in the field of construction and energy efficiency with a focus on building code requirements concerning design and accessibility for persons with disabilities. “There are a number of different ways that legislation can ensure that our buildings are accessible. Since the 1970s we have had very detailed rules, which have gradually been expanded and tightened. These rules have required specific accessibility solutions. And at a time when it was essential
to focus on accessibility, they have been useful tools. Nevertheless, they have proved insufficient for us to achieve the goals we are aiming for today. That is why it is now time to take stock. We have to review whether the existing rules actually ensure an equitable built environment: Are the construction processes that we are seeing today best served with detailed and solution-oriented requirements? Do we need different types of regulation to ensure innovative and future-proof construction with regard to accessibility? In a process of dialogue and cooperation we should discuss how we can promote equitable and high-quality construction in the future in relation to the legislation.”
What are the most important research topics in relation to accessibility in the built environment? Camilla Ryhl
Professor, Senior Researcher at the Danish Building Research Institute and Head of the Master’s Programme in Universal Design and Accessibility at Aalborg University. Architect with a PhD in sensory impairments and residential architecture. “As an architectural concept, universal design is a remarkably unknown idea among Danish architects and builders. The general perception seems to be that accessi bility group", not as part of a larger discussion about quality in architecture. Furthermore, knowledge is often limited to
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physical assistive devices and does not include the human body, physiology and senses. Accessibility and universal design are about reintroducing the human aspect in archi tecture. Research can facilitate that process by providing documented knowledge, for example about a value-based design strategy, a broader and more nuanced range of user needs, the inherent potentials of universal design and the connection between architectural quality and sensory accessibility. Accessibility is not only about making sure that everyone can get into a building or a room; it is also about making sure that everyone is able to stay there. Sensory accessibility in the form of good acoustics is an example of the latter concern, which we also need to address."
How can accessibility in the built environment contribute to a more equitable society? Susanne Nour Magnusson
Department Director for the Department of Equal Treatment at the Danish Institute for Human Rights. Editor and main author of the book “Diversity in the workplace – when we are equal, but not the same”. “Accessibility is one of the conditions for an equitable society. In order to enjoy the same rights as everyone else, persons with disabilities must have access to and possibilities
for participating in all aspects of society, whether in relation to education, employment, national elections or recreational activities. Accessible design and construction ensure that we eliminate any physical barriers for equal participation in society. Accessibility enables inclusion, and equal opportu nities can only exist when everyone is included and takes part in society. That is also why accessibility and inclusion are two of the fundamental principles in the UN’s Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which we seek to implement in order to create a more equitable society.”
How can we make accessibility a natural element in any construction process? Stig Langvad
Chairman of Disabled Peoples Organisations Denmark. Member of UN CRPD and the Danish Disability Council. “I think that the best way is to pass a code that requires clients to describe how accessibility will be ensured when they apply for permits in connection with construction or renovation projects. That would ensure that the matter
receives the necessary attention from the client as well as the other involved parties, including consultants, architects and engineers. Secondly, it would ensure that the agency in charge of issuing construction and occupation permits reviews accessibility aspects in relation to the current regulations and the needs of those of us who have disabilities. Thirdly, it would make it much easier to check whether the actual project lives up the regulations and the conditions of the construction permit.”
Who can teach us most about creating accessible solutions? Annette Krath Poulsen
Architect, Industrial Designer and the Founder of AKPdesign, an architectural and design firm specializing in projects targets seniors and persons with disabilities. “I think that we can learn a great deal by cooperating across user needs, technical possibilities, market opportunities and aesthetics. The few good examples where accessible solutions have been integrated into high-quality architecture have demonstrated interdisciplinary approaches with a high
degree of user involvement, and they are a great source of inspiration and knowledge sharing. It is crucial that we incorporate knowledge about users alongside technical knowledge, and that we include it systematically in the planning process from day one and throughout the design phase. Accessibility is not only a human right as defined in the UN Convention; it is also good business to design user experiences where everyone can participate on equal terms.”
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ACCESSIBLE EVERYDAY
Innovation & accessibility in the built environment Published by © Innosite, 2014 Danish Architecture Centre Strandgade 27B DK 1401 Copenhagen K www.innosite.dk
We thank the following contributors Natalie Mossin, President of the Danish Architects’ Association Stig Langvad, Chairman of the Disabled Peoples Organisations Denmark Annette Krath Poulsen, Architect, Industrial Designer and Founder of AKPdesign Susanne Nour Magnusson, Director of department, Danish Institute for Human Rights Camilla Ryhl, Professor, Senior Researcher, Architect and PhD, Danish Building Research Institute Carsten Lykke Graversen, Architect, MA (architecture), Danish Energy Agency All the participants in the ACCESSIBLE EVERYDAY contest
Innosite – open innovation in the construction industry An initiative by Realdania and the Danish Energy Agency The site is operated by the Danish Architecture Centre
Innosite.dk is an open innovation platform which connects companies and organisations with a need for innovation with people who have great ideas. The aim is to create and further develop an active innovation environment within the construction industry in Denmark and to promote dialogue and collaboration across professions, companies and industries. Innosite – open innovation in the construction industry. An initiative by Realdania and the Danish Energy Agency. The site is operated by the Danish Architecture Centre.