Effortless City™

Page 1

ef·fort·less cit·y / ˇefərtlis ˇsitē / a. [adj] an inclusive and pedestrian friendly environment, in an urban environment that requires little to no physical or mental exertion to navigate. — origin of effortless 1801. Related: Effortlessly. First Know Use: 1795–1805; effort + -less. — origin of city Middle English: from Old French cite, from Latin civitas, from civis ‘citizen.’ Originally denoting a town, and often used as a Latin equivalent to Old English burh [borough,] the term was later applied to foreign and ancient cities and to the more important English boroughs. First Known Use: 13th century.


Copyright ŠJoana Cardoso. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form as well as by any means electronic, mechanical photocopying, recording, or otherwise without permission of the copy right holder. Joana Cardoso phone 408 771 4386 email JOANA@EFFORTLESSCITY.COM web EFFORTLESSCITY.COM

typefaces AKZIDENZ & SENTINEL software ADOBE CC photography JOANA CARDOSO

School Director PHIL HAMLET school of graphic design MFA THESIS PROJECT

printing GIANT HORSE PRINTING binding THE KEY BINDERY paper FINCH ID

ACADEMY OF ART UNIVERSITY 79 New Montgomery St. San Francisco


ef·fort·less cit·y / ˇefərtlis ˇsitē / a. [adj] an inclusive and pedestrian friendly environment, in an urban environment that requires little to no physical or mental exertion to navigate. — origin of effortless 1801. Related: Effortlessly. First Know Use: 1795–1805; effort + -less. — origin of city Middle English: from Old French cite, from Latin civitas, from civis ‘citizen.’ Originally denoting a town, and often used as a Latin equivalent to Old English burh [borough,] the term was later applied to foreign and ancient cities and to the more important English boroughs. First Known Use: 13th century.


01


contents /

01

phase Background title A Different Trip Home

02

phase Research title For a Better World

03

phase Development title Plan of Attack

04

phase Refinement title Making it a Reality


“Disability will enter with personal traum member’s injury, or b life, because disabi experience that can


r every person’s life ma, a friend or family by simply living a long ility is a natural life n happen at any time.� Candace Cable


01 Background

8


9


M FA T H ES I S JOANA CAR D OS O

10


E F FO R TLE S S C IT Y

01 02 03

A Different Trip Home Our first trip was eye opening to say the least. We went everywhere you can imagine, cities, beaches, villages, mountains, castles, on ferries, in taxis, etc. Along the way we ran into major obstacles that we had to overcome in order to go forward, like bad sidewalk conditions, dangerous ramps and a lack of accessible restrooms. I was born and raised in Portugal. This is an amazing place, rich in culture and history. Tourists and locals experience an everyday that is relaxed and full of social interaction at numerous cafés, restaurants, sporting events and festivals. After graduating high school I was accepted into a BFA program in New Jersey where I met life long friends who have become family. As time went on and I would try to persuade them into traveling with me to Portugal. After a few trips with close friends, I wanted to take my friend Shannon who happens to be a wheelchair user, loves to travel and had never been to Europe before. I knew Portugal wouldn’t be perfectly accessible but we could make do and have a blast. We decided to look for travel guides to see what their suggestions were for people with disabilities traveling internationally. Usually, when Shannon travels within America, she just picks up and takes off. Since the ADA exists there are set standards that people with disabilities have come to rely on when navigating new locations in the US. This is not the case for Portugal; there are no set standards for accessibility.

After searching in bookstores, on-line, and in libraries we discovered that there are no mainstream comprehensive travel resource whatsoever for people with disabilities (PwD). Each well-known guide, like Lonely Planet Portugal, has a paragraph in the back directing PwD to contact local town halls in order to plan their vacations. This came to us as a shock. Even though this is where I’ve lived the majority of my life, I’ve never looked at my country through the eyes of a person with mobility considerations. We hoped that there would be something at Welcome Centre to guide us through Lisbon. Quickly, we discovered that even tourist Welcome Centers had no information for people traveling with a disability. There are some guided tours offered and planned adventure tours, but nothing to independently discover the cities and local villages.

Some castles and historical monuments proved impossible to access. Previous page: Belém Tour, in Lisbon, where the access ramp lead to a flight of steps. Left: Almourol Castle, built in the middle of the river, it’s only access down a set of steps and a ride in a small boat.

S ECTI O N 0 1. 1

11


M FA T H ES I S JOANA CAR D OS O

12


E F FO R TLE S S C IT Y

01 02 03

We had to be resourceful and figure out how to get around on our own. Our first and most obvious obstacle was the cobble-stone walkways throughout the country. Although the walkways are full of history they present a serious obstacle to some people with disabilities. The gaps between the cobblestones create a gutter for small wheels to get caught in, causing an incredibly bumpy ride. Some walkways are so severe that in a short amount of time, enough is enough and you are left with a headache. This is not only an obstacle for people who use wheelchairs, but also for parents with children in strollers.

Cobble stones and ancient steps are everywhere, and prohibit access to many local amenities like churches, water fountains and tourist attractions. Ramps and disabled parking spaces are sometimes located on opposite sides of buildings far away from accessible entrances. We powered through and found a way to see it all.

S ECTI O N 0 1. 2

13


M FA T H ES I S JOANA CAR D OS O

14


E F FO R TLE S S C IT Y

01 02 03

The importance of accessibility becomes vividly clear when you don’t have it. S ECTI O N 0 1. 3

15


M FA T H ES I S JOANA CAR D OS O

My cousin Nuno has been a wheelchair user since he sustained a spinal cord injury over 15 years ago. He lives in my father’s hometown, Nazaré, a small fisher-man’s village on Portugal’s coast. For some time he had struggled to accept his disability because he felt stuck and unable to live a full life like he once had. We had many conversations with him about the importance of accessibility when it comes to inclusion in society, his everyday experience getting around and the set standards for accessibility in America.

Nuno made it clear that locals want to get out and explore, but don’t know how to go about it. Having a resource that shows users how to navigate through their neighborhoods would be life changing. It would be great for tourists, but essential for locals who are wary of venturing out into the unknown.

16

Below: Nuno at a local bar in Nazaré after a deep conversation with Shannon. Right: Nazaré, Portugal view from Sitio, the bay’s north hill


E F FO R TLE S S C IT Y

01 02 03

S ECTI O N 0 1. 4

17


18


02 Research

S ECTI O N 0 1. 6

19


M FA T H ES I S JOANA CAR D OS O

20


E F FO R TLE S S C IT Y

0 1 02 0 3

For a Better World Gathering scattered info, tracking down data, and understanding its value was an almost endless task. Where to start, how to fully understand the challenge at hand, and relate to the impairments of the human body mobility as we age, were some of the most complex moments throughout the development of Effortless City. The time had come to research what tools there were for pedestrians in San Francisco. There were no comprehensive resources for people with disabilities to get around the city. After going to many bookstores, multiple city guides were found for places around the world, but each guide only had a paragraph in the back directing people with disabilities to contact local government and town halls for travel information. People without mobility considerations can pick up free walking guides in Welcome Centers throughout the country and abroad. People with mobility considerations have to search, pick and pull from multiple resources. Typically, in American Welcome Centers, brochures exist for guided tours and other paid activities for people with mobility considerations. Like Europe, there is nothing free to pick up and use to independently explore neighborhoods within cities. Upon further investigation, this is not only a hindrance to tourists, but also locals. When new parents have to maneuver a stroller for the first time, they look at their neighborhood in a whole new way. Obstacles that they had never

Would the best solution be city guides, maps, websites or all of the above? There were questions to answer like, “What tools would be most useful?, How do people get around? Where do people go most often on sidewalks? Are people more likely to want printed materials, like books, in their hand as they travel, or would they rather digital information on their smart phones?�

noticed before become obvious and overwhelming. People who are newly injured wake up from one day to the next unsure of how to get around their block. This international lack of navigational resources presented an opportunity gap to create tools for pedestrians of all abilities.

Previous page (left to right , top to bottom) web links for Access Northern California, On the Level SF, BORP, Candy Harrington’s Blog, WheelMap, AXS Map, Wheelmate, and WheelchairTravelling.com

S ECTI O N 02. 2

21


M FA T H ES I S JOANA CAR D OS O

15% of the world’s population, more than one billion people, live with some form of disability.* Yet, the chance of finding an inclusive travel guide on the shelves is slim to none.

* This number does not include people who are temporarily injured. ** World Health Organization 2011 Disability Report

22


E F FO R TLE S S C IT Y

0 1 02 0 3

S ECTI O N 02. 0

23


M FA T H ES I S JOANA CAR D OS O

Meet the People Reaching out to our target audience. Luckily, with the Abilities Expo coming to San Jose — Perfect. This large convention travels throughout the country providing hundreds of people with disabilities, access to new technologies, possibilities, solutions and opportunities. I designed Effortless City T-shirts and gathered some friends to walk through as a group to hand out business cards of people with disabilities, access to new technologies, possibilities, solutions and opportunities. I designed Effortless City T-shirts and gathered some friends to walk through as a group to hand out business cards. People stopped to ask us what Effortless City was, even at the gas station before we got to the convention. As we walked around people were very receptive to the idea and stated many issues in their experience of traveling city sidewalks. Many people asked if accessible restrooms and parking would be something we indicate on our maps. There was so much positive feedback and encouragement to push forward. Toward the end of the day we were heading to the door to exit. All of a sudden, a man stopped us and asked, “What is Effortless City?” Ironically, he had on a pin with both the Brazilian and American flag. I asked if he spoke Portuguese, and from then on we spoke in my native language. His name is Scott Rains; he has traveled around the world speaking about accessible and inclusive tourism. He was immediately interested in the development of this project and eager to introduce us to some people he knew in the field. Throughout the day we were asked if we knew of a woman named Bonnie. We would say no and everyone would explain that she is the travel woman; she knows everything about travel and accessibility. Scott almost immediately asks, “Do you know Bonnie?” At this point it was funny, we needed to meet this famous woman. He invited us to an event that night where many people were expected to attend. It was obvious that this was a pivotal moment in the development of Effortless City, there was no way we would miss this event. After arriving at the lounge we were introduced to Ralf Hotchkiss, Candace Cable, Deborah Davis, and finally Bonnie Lewkowicz. Deborah Davis, Shannon Moore, Joana Cardoso, Candace Cable and Bonnie Lewkowicz at Abilities Expo’12

24


E F FO R TLE S S C IT Y

0 1 02 0 3

S ECTI O N 02. 0

25


M FA T H ES I S JOANA CAR D OS O

Candace Cable is a Paralympic

Scott Rains has traveled the word

athlete that has won multiple gold medals in wheelchair racing and skiing. She currently writes a blog for the Christopher Reeve Foundation and speaks all over the world.

researching and writing on the adoption of Universal Design by the travel & hospitality industry. A speaker to government officials about the importance of accessibility, universal design and Inclusive Tourism.

Deborah Davis is an entrepreneur Ralf Hotchkiss invented that has developed TravelAbility, Whirlwind Wheelchairs and provides an inclusive travel resource, and people around the world with sturdy PhotoAbility, a stock photography and durable chairs, “that perform library of photos of people with well on rough terrain and are built in disabilities in the tourism, leisure factories that contribute to local ecoand lifestyle mediums. nomic development.� Mr. Hotchkiss lives and works in San Francisco.

26

This esteemed group of people took us under their wing. We discussed the thesis project, its progress and took note of their priceless insight and suggestions.


E F FO R TLE S S C IT Y

0 1 02 0 3

Bonnie Lewkowiscz is the founder and director of Access Northern California and Wheeling California’s Coast, has made remarkable strides in the world of inclusive tourism. She created the first guide for wheelchair riders in the Bay Area.

Photo© Aïcha Nystrom

S ECTI O N 02. 0

27


M FA T H ES I S JOANA CAR D OS O

The majority of people with disabilities that travel sidewalks in San Francisco rely upon the bike coalition map. This map is color coded to document the slope of each street in San Francisco. Having an idea of what incline each street is allows pedestrians to avoid dangerous hills. The problem with most resources is that the information is based on streets. We came to the conclusion that there is a huge opportunity gap to provide a tool specifically for navigating sidewalks. This tool, or set of tools, would need to be inclusive and provide information to pedestrians of all physical abilities. It is critical that the tools are comprehensive, and gives the user a compilation of neighborhood information like sidewalk conditions, location of public transportation, disabled parking spaces, and public wheelchair accessible restrooms.

After meeting with varying pedestrians, it was concluded that there is a huge opportunity gap to create a tool specifically for navigating sidewalks. This tool, or set of tools, would need to be inclusive and provide information to pedestrians of all physical abilities. It is critical that the tools are comprehensive, and give the user a compilation of neighborhood information like sidewalk conditions, public transportation locations, disabled parking spaces and public wheelchair accessible restrooms. In order to create a truly inclusive travel resource, we need to cover the needs of a broad range of pedestrians With a fine-tuned idea of the needs and wants of people with mobility considerations, it was time to develop other aspects of Effortless City tools. Over a period of six months, a series of questions were asked to our Facebook audience including, “What do you wish you knew about a city before visiting for the first time?� It was interesting to learn that sidewalk users of all physical abilities wanted to know where locals shop drink and eat, public transportation stops, safe places to walk or run, interesting and quirky facts, and the location of dry cleaners and necessities like the post office or grocery stores

During the Sidewalk Talk, held in October of 2013, parents, runners, people with disabilities and occasional pedestrians joined the conversation.

28


E F FO R TLE S S C IT Y

0 1 02 0 3

Survey Says A 10-question survey was created to determine the behavior of various pedestrians. There were 216 participants that saw a link to our survey site via Facebook or direct e-mail. Questions determined how often they were pedestrians, whether people have difficulty walking, what age group they belong to, whether they prefer printed or digital maps, how they get oriented on a map, how often they get lost, what they’d like to know when visiting a city for the first time, what’s most enjoyable and dreadful about being a pedestrian and what they stop to look at along sidewalks. Data showed that our survey group had similar percent-ages to the national average when it came to serious difficulty walking. The World Health Organization released a report in 2011 that showed 15% of the world population, over 1 billion people, was considered disabled. Our survey showed that 26.07% had serious difficulty walking. It also showed that most pedestrians want to know where locals eat, drink and shop (68.72%), how to get around on public transportation (49.29%) and the location of restrooms (28.44%). An interesting finding was that regardless of physical ability, 61.61% thought poor side-walk conditions made being a pedestrian most dreadful.

69% where locals eat, drink & shop

62% dread poor sidewalk conditions regardless of ability

216 surveyed people

28% restroom locations

49% how to get around public transportation

S ECTI O N 02. 22

29


M FA T H ES I S JOANA CAR D OS O

33%

of children born today will surpass 100 years of age

30


E F FO R TLE S S C IT Y

0 1 02 0 3

13.6

$

billion

spent annually on travel by the 42 million Americans with disabilities

S ECTI O N 02. 4

31



03 Development


M FA T H ES I S JOANA CAR D OS O

34


E F FO R TLE S S C IT Y

01 02 03

Plan of Attack Where are the people places and things to see around the city? What exactly do people want to see? Divide and conquer. TO SAUSALITO

The city was divided into neighborhoods or districts, each with its own vibe and unique characteristics. For the purposes of this thesis project neighborhoods were chosen based upon popularity, amount of shops, restaurants and amenities like dry cleaners, post office and public transportation. The neighborhoods include Haight, Castro, Mission, SoMa, Chinatown, North Beach, Marina, Embarcadero, Nob Hill, Russian Hill, Fillmore and Hayes Valley. Routes were created within each location to guide pedestrians to central shopping areas and other places of importance for locals and tourists. It’s important to understand where central shopping zones begin and end. Directing people outside of this zone is a waste of precious time and energy. The Haight neighborhood was used as a case study to determine what sidewalk obstacles were in San Francisco, and what needed to be measured and highlighted on maps. Factors pedestrians need to be aware of as they travel through cities, is not limited to sidewalk obstacles. We also chose to determine the location of USPS mailboxes,disabled parking spaces and wheelchair accessible public restrooms. In certain neighborhoods, like Chinatown, restrooms are located in building basements. SUNSET Under these circumstances, a parent with a child in a stroller, or someone who uses a wheelchair, needs to know the closest public restroom location. With limited access to restroom facilities, it’s hard to remain included in community activities. Like Portugal, residents might opt to stay home if there is a lack of access.

MARINA RUSSIAN HILL PRESIDIO

NOB HILL

EMBARCADERO N. BEACH CHINATOWN UNION SQ.

TO BERKLEY

SOMA

HAIGHT & ASHBURY MISSION TWIN PEAKS

CASTRO

ZOO

TO SAN JOSE

Previous page: Eric Fischer’s “Locals vs. Tourists”

S ECTI O N 03. 0

35


M FA T H ES I S JOANA CAR D OS O

We documented the entire experience with a Go Pro camera attached the Shannon’s wheelchair.

36


E F FO R TLE S S C IT Y

01 02 03

S ECTI O N 03. 0

37


M FA T H ES I S JOANA CAR D OS O

After extensive research it was decided that disabled parking, ramp and sidewalk conditions, crosswalk incline, drain grate location, bus stops, tree spaces and sidewalk slope were important factors to measure and document. If you are unable to go down a curb, or lack the physical strength to maneuver over broken and cracked sidewalks, it is imperative to be able to avoid these conditions.

38


E F FO R TLE S S C IT Y

01 02 03

S ECTI O N 03. 0

39


M FA T H ES I S JOANA CAR D OS O

40


E F FO R TLE S S C IT Y

01 02 03

Holes like this can easily cause any pedestrian to trip, or wheelchair users to flip if casters get caught. A penny is in the middle of the hole for perspective.

S ECTI O N 03. 0

41


M FA T H ES I S JOANA CAR D OS O

42


E F FO R TLE S S C IT Y

01 02 03

Tree spaces along city sidewalks are often the cause of major cracks and hills. In order to prevent this, grates can be used to cover the area around the tree to direct rainwater. If the water isn’t directed, tree roots will spread under the concrete surface and eventually create cracks. A large majority of tree spaces in our case study, as well as throughout San Francisco, lack grates. The area around trees without grates gets eroded over time and can become substantially deep. The deepest tree space we discovered was located next to a bus stop at Haight and Masonic, measuring 3 inches. In such a high traffic area, this poses as a major hazard, people can get injured very easily if they accidentally walk off the edge. Some are so deep that a scooter, and other mobility devices, can flip over if a wheel were to slip over the edge. S ECTI O N 03. 0

43


M FA T H ES I S JOANA CAR D OS O

44


E F FO R TLE S S C IT Y

01 02 03

Curb ramps are often the cause of the most stress for pedestrians with mobility considerations, especially those who use wheelchairs. In our own experience throughout America and abroad, there will be a ramp on one corner and no ramp at the other side of the crosswalk. People everywhere have horror stories about the time the sidewalk ended without a ramp. Sometimes, there is only one curb ramp for both crossing directions. This causes a wheelchair user to go outside of the crosswalk and into oncoming traffic. Documenting curb ramp conditions and the number per corner was a top priority within my research. Remaining factors considered for determining level of effort per block were based solely upon the needs of people with disabilities. If the block had a wheelchair accessible restroom, it increased the overall rating. Even if this restroom was at a coffee shop and customers had to buy a coffee to use it, at least you know where one is located. This is priceless information since restroom accessibility is hit or miss for the most part. Finally, we noted the location of all disabled parking locations. If a block had any blue spaces, it would also increase its overall rating.

Curb ramp gap at street, sidewalk construction, large cracks in the sidewalk, steps at park entrances and crowded spaces are pedestrian obstacles.

S ECTI O N 02. 03. 13 0

45


M FA T H ES I S JOANA CAR D OS O

46


E F FO R TLE S S C IT Y

01 02 03

Buena Vista Park, located in the Haight Neighborhood, is extremely steep and full of steps. Lower Haight has access to the more accessible Duboce Park.

S ECTI O N 03. 0

47


M FA T H ES I S JOANA CAR D OS O

48


E F FO R TLE S S C IT Y

01 02 03

The Numbers Data was compiled and categorized to document movement barriers. The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) defines movement barriers as obstacles that, ”restrict an individual’s ability to physically move along or within an environment. Movement barriers within the pedestrian environment include curbs, steep slopes, obstacles within the path (poles, etc.), and widths too narrow to pass through.” (DOT, 5) Each variable needs to be measured per block to gauge its overall level of difficulty. DOT suggests ideal conditions and their range of measurements, like the grade of sidewalks and ramps. Changing the grade of sidewalks is difficult, if not impossible, since they follow the terrain of the land. When possible, it’s suggested that the slope stay below 5% for walkways and 8.3% for ramps. Cross slope is another important factor to consider when determining effort. DOT explains, “Severe cross slopes can cause wheelchair users to veer towards the curb and into the street. The impact of cross slopes can be compounded when combined with steep grades and uneven surfaces.” With the primitive tools to measure slope within my access, I documented the segments of sidewalks that were obviously slanted toward the street.

S ECTI O N 03. 0

49


M FA T H ES I S JOANA CAR D OS O

You Don’t Know, Until You Know Once these factors were measured, I wanted to have first hand knowledge of what each obstacle felt like for people with disabilities, specifically wheelchair users. Shannon had a spare wheelchair that we modified to fit my body size, as well as another from a friend who had recovered from a broken leg. Once I traveled the neighborhood in a wheelchair, my view on everything changed. My arms burned, my palms ached and I was petrified that my wheels would get caught and throw me out of the chair. It’s typical in San Francisco for streets to dip down at each corner and create a steep hill in crosswalks. To be at a complete stop, then push yourself up these inclines before the light changes takes a huge amount of physical exertion. The scariest part of crosswalk hills is getting to the top and gaining momentum toward the curb ramp on the other side of the street. If the ramp has holes or a lip to get over at the bottom, a wheelchair traveling quickly could flip over upon contact with the front caster wheels. I have no physical disabilities, and consider myself strong; it was no easy task just to cross the street.

"Once I traveled the neighborhood in a wheelchair, my view on everything changed. My arms burned, my palms ached and I was petrified that my wheels would get caught and throw me out of the chair."

Testing it for myself feeing what it takes to climb crosswalk hills. Perspective is everything.

50


E F FO R TLE S S C IT Y

01 02 03

S ECTI O N 03. 0

51


M FA T H ES I S JOANA CAR D OS O

52


E F FO R TLE S S C IT Y

01 02 03

My project was developed in collaboration with a talented group of professionals, dedicated to volunteering their time to get this innovative idea off the ground. In order to move forward a sidewalk condition database needs to be developed. With today’s technology, this is a remotely simple task, what isn’t simple is the enormity of the task. It will take a team of researchers to document each block within cities. This posed as a perfect opportunity to create jobs for people within cities. We have developed a Pavement Pounder program where hired positions will be available to join our research team. Groups will be broken down in two teams, A and B, to document each side of a street at once. There will be at least one person with a physical disability on each team, in order to gauge physical exertion and other variables only a person who uses a wheelchair can understand.

S ECTI O N 03. 0

53


M FA T H ES I S JOANA CAR D OS O

54


E F FO R TLE S S C IT Y

01 02 03

S ECTISO ECTI N 03. O N0 02. 3

55


M FA T H ES I S JOANA CAR D OS O

56


E F FO R TLE S S C IT Y

01 02 03

S ECTI O N 03. 0

57


M FA T H ES I S JOANA CAR D OS O

Rating Once the data collection portion of my research was complete, I began to formulate categories for level of effort. Most maps showing difficulty of terrain only have 3 levels indicated. My rating system has 5 levels of effort, color-coded to show each block’s overall condition. The San Francisco Bike Coalition map indicates grades ranging from 0 to 5% to be the least difficult. In my findings, for pedestrians, especially those with mobility considerations, a change in grade from 0 to 1%, is a noticeable change in required physical exertion. With the Department of Transportation’s suggested limits for grade and change in levels, I calculated my levels of difficulty accordingly.

58


E F FO R TLE S S C IT Y

01 02 03

BLUE Sidewalks are smooth with minimal cracks and bumps, slight incline/decline, flat thresholds at store entrances, space to maneuver, low counters, roll under tables ADA compliant restroom, when applicable.

GREEN Expect to feel a slight incline/decline, walkways or curb ramps might be somewhat bumpy, or space inside is slightly narrow to maneuver. Roll under tables and an ADA compliant restroom, when applicable.

RED Incline/decline is steep and could be unsafe on a mobility scooter. Sidewalk condition may be severe with extensive cracks or broken concrete, curb ramps could have broken concrete or major potholes. No accessible restrooms and very narrow maneuver.

YELLOW Hill incline/decline will be moderate; blocks will require more physical exertion to navigate. Sidewalks or curb ramps are noticeably cracked or bumpy. Expect the restroom to lack true accessibility. No roll under tables, space inside could be narrow space to maneuver.

BLACK Extremely steep incline/decline; expect sidewalks to have steps, no curb ramp, or no walkway. Stores and restaurants will be located up at least one flight of stairs without any elevator or alternative access.

S ECTI O N 03. 0

59


M FA T H ES I S JOANA CAR D OS O

Mapping As a graphic designer, my goal was to create unique and refreshing alternatives to current city guides. San Francisco presented a perfect place to start empowering a population of people with clear and effective solutions for living a full life within a city of obstacles. Contact was made with the San Francisco Public Works Department to locate official topographical maps of the city. They gave me the web addresses to access key maps of the city blocks. At the time, resources like the city’s curb ramp map and locations of disabled parking spaces, were inaccurate. Perspective is one of the most priceless gifts we can offer to humankind. Without perspective we are left with a huge fear of the unknown. In order to lessen this fear, I’ve synthesized my findings into viable deliverables that will meet the needs of numerous pedestrians.

60


E F FO R TLE S S C IT Y

01 02 03

S ECTI O N 03. 0

61


M FA T H ES I S JOANA CAR D OS O

Preliminary documentation was done with markers and sticky notes. This was the first designated route through the Haight.

62


E F FO R TLE S S C IT Y

01 02 03

When it comes to people with disabilities, trust is a major consideration. Many mainstream resources like Yelp, have inaccurate accessibility information. On numerous occasions, establishments will claim to be wheelchair accessible, but have restrooms on the second floor or steps at the entrance. Within San Francisco, the Bike Coalition has done an amazing job for bike users by creating a map that shows each blocks grade along bike routes. They’ve color-coded levels of difficulty, but this data is based upon streets and how difficult it is on a bicycle. Most wheelchair users and parents with kids in strollers travel on sidewalks, so this map is only somewhat useful. Since many databases have proven to be inaccurate, it was crucial for me to create my own that documents sidewalk conditions, restroom condition and location, disabled parking and public transportation stops.

63

S E CT I O N 0 2 . 1 9

63

S ECTI O N 03. 0

63


M FA T H ES I S JOANA CAR D OS O

San Francisco Topographical Map

64


E F FO R TLE S S C IT Y

01 02 03

S ECTI O N 03. 0

65


M FA T H ES I S JOANA CAR D OS O

66


E F FO R TLE S S C IT Y

01 02 03

Free Sidewalk Maps will be available for people within Welcome Centers, and downloadable on the EC website. These maps indicate each block’s level of effort, disabled parking spaces and ADA compliant public restrooms. Our rating and mapping system will be taken from its starting point in San Francisco, and implemented in other major cities within America and abroad. Effortless City will be the first of its kind offering comprehensive travel information to pedestrians of all abilities.

Bus

Train

Disabled Parking

S ECTI O N 03. 0

Accessible Restroom

67


M FA T H ES I S JOANA CAR D OS O

Guides Publications will be available at various places like local bookstores, Travel Agencies, Medical Supply stores and local shops and businesses. There will be a 4 to 5 week production period for each supplement. Once all city sections are documented in our publications, we will compile each neighborhood guide into a complete EC City box set. As each neighborhood publication is completed we will promote it on our website. Among other features, the site will include downloadable maps, alerts for detours and new places along our suggested routes. Once all crucial information is collected and synthesized into maps and publications, we’ll be working in tandem with web developers and GIS Analysts to develop a smart phone application. The goal is to have the application available shortly after the last neighborhood guide is published.

68


E F FO R TLE S S C IT Y

01 02 03

S ECTI O N 03. 0

69


M FA T H ES I S JOANA CAR D OS O

70


E F FO R TLE S S C IT Y

01 02 03

S ECTI O N 03. 0

71


M FA T H ES I S JOANA CAR D OS O

To make data collection easier, and most accurate, we’ve developed a Rate Your Block application. This tool will allow Pavement Pounders to log sidewalk conditions with GPS coordinates via smartphone application. Prior to obtaining the necessary funding to develop any and all applications, printed versions will be available. Sidewalk Kits will be distributed to research team members that include an Effortless City t-shirt, angle measure, retractable ruler, pencil, and fill in sheets organized with obstacles to measure and document. As data is collected I will be able to synthesize it into sidewalk map format very quickly. Once the Rate Your Block application is live, the database will expand beyond neighborhoods within cities, to communities in the suburbs and abroad. Users will have the opportunity to download the App. for free and rate their block independently or join a Pavement Pounder team for a hired position. This data collection tool will allow researchers to take a picture of the obstacle they’re documenting and have space to insert extra data if unexpected obstacles appear.

EFFORTLESS CIT Y

LOG IN

REGISTER

TO DO

SETTINGS

LOCATION SE TTINGS

RATE YOUR BL OCK

EDIT PROFILE

SET PREFERENCES

EFFORTLESS CI TY

EFFORTLESS CI TY

I AM: (OPTIONAL)

EFFORTLESS CIT Y

EFFORTLESS CI TY

PAVEMENT POUNDER

ABLE BODIE D

USERNAME:

NAME:

I AM: (OPTIONAL )

WHEELCHAIR USE R

JOANA CARDOS O

ABLE BODIE D

TEMPORAR LY INJURE D

AGE:

LOCATION:

MOBILI TY DEVICE: (OPTIONAL )

30-39

SAN FRANCISC O, CA

NONE

EMAIL:

NEW PARENT AGING OTHER

PASSWORD :

PLEASE SPECIFY

AVERAGE ENERGY LEVEL :

MOBILI TY DEVICE: (OPTIONAL)

JOANA@GMAIL. COM

UPLOAD PROFILE PICTUR E

CREATE USERNAME:

LOW

HIGH

CANE

AVERAGE FATIGUE LEVEL

JO_CAR13

NONE WALKER

LOG IN

CREATE PASSWORD:

TAKE NEW

***************** *

FROM FIL E

LOW

HIGH

CRUTCHES MANUAL WHEEL CHAIR ELECTRIC WHEEL CHAIR

For more info visi t

PREVIOUS

NEXT

PREVIOUS

SKIP

PREVIOUS

FINISH

SCOOTE R

EFFORTLESS CI TY LOCATE USING GP S ON

OFF

STREET: 1400 HAIGHT ST . CITY: SAN FRANCISCO STATE:

ZIP:

CALIFORNIA

94117

START WITH SIDEWALK

72

CURB


E F FO R TLE S S C IT Y

01 02 03

S ECTI O N 03. 0

73


M FA T H ES I S JOANA CAR D OS O

74


E F FO R TLE S S C IT Y

01 02 03

City: San Francisco, CA

Menu

City: San Francisco, CA

Neighborhood: City: San Francisco, Haight CA

MARINA

Around Me

MARINA

Haight Neighborhood

EMBARCADERO

HERE

HAIGHT

HAIGHT MISSION

Things to See & Do

MISSION

THERE

THERE

The Hippie Revolution’s epicenter during the Summer of Love in the 1960s. People from around the world have come to walk down

Rate your Block

Effort Level

(7, 71 & 71L)

Neighborhood: Haight

Neighborhood: Haight

Effort Level

Effort Level

GO TO MAPS Favorites

EMBARCADERO

HERE The Haight & Ashbury District is an eclectic neighborhood with a long and vibrant history. SOMA

SOMA

Neighborhoods

Neighborhood: Haight

Neighborhood: Haight

Style of Travel Effort Level

(read more)

Haight, Haight & Ashbury

Using Augmented Reality

Alert Ahead

Looking for clothing stores around your area, let us help you get there the most effortless way possible. Allow audio settings, and start exploring right away. With the Effortless City

The corner at Haight & Ashbury is actually one of the neighborhood’s sidewalk curbs that is has the most "wear and tear" conditions

Stanyan St

Haight, Haight & Ashbury

Things to Avoid

Haight St.

Haight St.

curb cut

uneven

ramp

steps

obstacle

rise

dip

incline

decline

alert

Page St.

!!

Ashbury St

Page St.

Clayton St

Stanyan St

Oak St.

Cole St

Style of Travel

Effort Level

Effort Level

END

START I Know Where I Am

1

Locate Me

2

3

I Know Where I Wanna Go

4

5

City: San Francisco, CA

MARINA EMBARCADERO

HERE

1

2

3

4

5

SOMA HAIGHT MISSION THERE

S ECTI O N 03. 0

75


M FA T H ES I S JOANA CAR D OS O

04 Refinement

76


E F FO R TLE S S C IT Y

01 02 03 04

S ECTI O N 0 4. 0

77


M FA T H ES I S JOANA CAR D OS O

78


E F FO R TLE S S C IT Y

01 02 03 04

effortless city for walkers, rollers, and strollers

S ECTI O N 0 4. 0

79


M FA T H ES I S JOANA CAR D OS O

effortless city

logo smallest lenght 2�

for walkers, rollers, and strollers

effortless city

wordmark smallest lenght 1�

pantone: 7465U cmyk: 80,0,30,0 rgb: 91,196,190 pantone: 485U cmyk: 0,80,67,0 rgb: 240,90,82 pantone black6U

effortlesscity.com for walkers, rollers, and strollers

80

web logo minimum lenght 100px

cmyk: 0,0,0,85 rgb: 76,76,76


E F FO R TLE S S C IT Y

01 02 03 04

7.5˚ .6”

.3” .225”

effortless city

.1” .05” .075” .075”

for walkers, rollers, and strollers

.9”

effortless city for walkers, rollers, and strollers

effortless city S ECTI O N 0 4. 0

81


M FA T H ES I S JOANA CAR D OS O

82


E F FO R TLE S S C IT Y

01 02 03 04

S ECTI O N 0 4. 0

83


M FA T H ES I S JOANA CAR D OS O

84


E F FO R TLE S S C IT Y

01 02 03 04

S ECTI O N 0 4. 0

85


M FA T H ES I S JOANA CAR D OS O

86


E F FO R TLE S S C IT Y

01 02 03 04

S ECTI O N 0 4. 0

87


M FA T H ES I S JOANA CAR D OS O

88


E F FO R TLE S S C IT Y

01 02 03 04

S ECTI O N 0 4. 0

89


M FA T H ES I S JOANA CAR D OS O

90


E F FO R TLE S S C IT Y

01 02 03 04

S ECTI O N 0 4. 0

91


M FA T H ES I S JOANA CAR D OS O

92


E F FO R TLE S S C IT Y

01 02 03 04

effortlesscity

for walkers, rollers, and strollers

S ECTI O N 0 4. 0

93


M FA T H ES I S JOANA CAR D OS O

94


E F FO R TLE S S C IT Y

SanSan Francisco Francisco usausa cities cities summer summer 20142014

01 02 03 04

USA countries countriesUSA

2014-2016 2014-2016

Portland Portland

Portugal Portugal

fall fall 20142014

summer summer 20162016

Seatle Seatle

Spain Spain

fall fall 20142014

summer summer 20162016

LosLos Angeles Angeles

France France

winter winter 20142014

fall fall 20162016

SanSan Diego Diego

England England

winter winter 20142014

fall fall 20162016

LasLas Vegas Vegas

Holland Holland

winter winter 20142014

winter winter 20162016

Germany Germany

Denver Denver

winter winter 20162016

spring spring 20152015

Itally Itally

Dallas Dallas

spring spring 20172017

spring spring 20152015

Houston Houston

Turkey Turkey

spring spring 20152015

spring spring 20172017

New New Orleans Orleans

Brazil Brazil

spring spring 20152015

summer summer 20172017

Argentina Argentina

Miami Miami

summer summer 20172017

fall fall 20152015

Australia Australia

Philadelphia Philadelphia

fall fall 20172017

fall fall 20152015

New New York York CityCity

Japan Japan

fall fall 20152015

fall fall 20172017

Boston Boston

China China

spring spring 20162016

winter winter 20172017

Chicago Chicago

India India

spring spring 20162016

winter winter 20172017 S ECTI O N 0 4. 0

95


M FA T H ES I S JOANA CAR D OS O

effortless city // sf

ec // san francisco find

effortlesscity explore log in

neighborhoods

register

how we roll

96

places

alerts


E F FO R TLE S S C IT Y

ec // san francisco

01 02 03 04

ec // sf // find off

GPS

find find

ec // sf // find on

D Structure explore

You are Here

neighborhoods find places

alerts

restrooms

S ECTI O N 0 4. 0

97


M FA T H ES I S JOANA CAR D OS O

ec // sf // find

ec // sf // find

ec // sf // find

Oak St

Filmore St

D–Structure T-Shirt Shop & Gallery 520 Haight St. SF, CA 94117

effort level

D–Structure

@ Haight St. & Scott St.

travel style

Call

98

Hours

Steiner St

Exit bus #6

T-Shirt Shop & Gallery 520 Haight St. SF, CA 94117

Get There

Haight St

Stroll

Bus

Roll East on Haight St Drive

Cab

Destination on Left


E F FO R TLE S S C IT Y

01 02 03 04

ec // sf // find

Steiner St Oak St

Filmore St

Haight St

japantown

castro

soma

nob hill

marina

north beach

financial district

the haight

northbeach

the mission

hayes valley japantown

S ECTI O N 0 4. 0

99


M FA T H ES I S JOANA CAR D OS O

decline

100

incline

uneven

steps


E F FO R TLE S S C IT Y

rise

dip

01 02 03 04

tree grate ramp

S ECTI O N 0 4. 0

101


M FA T H ES I S JOANA CAR D OS O

syr // sf // alerts

alerts // construction

search Alerts nearby

construction

on my way

nearby

on my way

Sidewalk add all >

+ explore

places

102

Between 1700 and 1600 at Haight St (South side)

150 ft

at Haight St & Shrader St (North West side)

(6)

construction > (2) hoods see & do (2) uneven > blocked >

90 ft

(2)

alerts

Curb Ramp

avoid all


E F FO R TLE S S C IT Y

01 02 03 04

upper haight // alerts

Sidewalk Between 1700 and 1600 at Haight St (South side)

avoid

not there Haight St

(May, 12, 2014)

S ECTI O N 0 4. 0

103


M FA T H ES I S JOANA CAR D OS O

ec // san francisco

off

GPS

find

explore // the haight

ec // sf // explore on

North Beach The Wharf

GPS

off

The Haight

Fulton St

Scott St

Webster St

Chinatown

Stanyan St

explore

Buena Vista Ave E Japantown SOMA

neighborhoods

The Mission The Haight

bus: 7, 71 & 71l freedom tours

The Castro

places

104

alerts

places

on n


E F FO R TLE S S C IT Y

// the haight hook

01 02 03 04

sf // search

// the haight hook Shrader St

Stanyan St

The Haight

Fell St Scott St

The Haight

Fulton St

between Stanyan & Webster between Fulton & Duboce

Webster St Stanyan St Buena Vista Ave E

Oak St

Stanyan St

effort level Haight St

Belvedere St

choose starting point Stanyan St

travel style

streetview view street

at Haight

Scott St

Park at Shrader & Haight Ped

Bus

Drive

Taxi

Roll East on Haight St

S ECTI O N 0 4. 0

105


M FA T H ES I S JOANA CAR D OS O

10 6


E F FO R TLE S S C IT Y

01 02 03 04

S ECTI O N 0 4. 0

107


M FA T H ES I S JOANA CAR D OS O

10 8


E F FO R TLE S S C IT Y

01 02 03 04

S ECTI O N 0 4. 0

10 9


M FA T H ES I S JOANA CAR D OS O

110


E F FO R TLE S S C IT Y

01 02 03 04

See you around the block ;-)

S ECTI O N 0 4. 0

111


J OANA CAR D OS O // effortlesscity.com


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.