Design Consideration for Disabilities

 While designing spaces, architects often consider potential users of the building.
The users of the spaces should also include people with disabilities. The aim of the
building should not only be user friendly to a specific group of people but to all the
groups of people.
 In short, the design must be inclusive, accessible, informative, and flexible for
every user.
 While designing one should consider disabilities such as visual impairment which
includes reduced or limited eyesight, color blindness, and blindness. Other
disabilities one must consider while designing are mobility, auditory and cognitive
disabilities which are physical impairments, distortion of auditory abilities, and
disabilities like seizure, dyslexia, and sensitivity to light respectively. 
 To create a space accessible by every person solutions, need to take into account
affordability, technology availability, knowledge, cultural differences, and the level
of development. 
 The above-mentioned points need to be considered as the inaccessible
infrastructure is created due to inadequate knowledge, inadequate understanding,
lack of user input, missed opportunities such as tactile floor indicators to enhance
visual impact as well as improve access for persons with visual impairment. 
 Universal design for inclusion of all classes and all people can be created by
incorporating the following in the design:- 

1. Accessibility 

 Functions like lifts, toilets, parking spaces, should be added. Accessible signages,
evacuation plans should be provided in the building. Parking spaces should also be
made accessible to the handicapped. The parking spaces and drop-off points are
kept clear for people with disabilities. The surface and lighting around the building
and on the paths that customers use to get to the building. A minimum of one
entrance should be made accessible for people with disabilities.
2. Services of the building. 

 Services like ramps, staircase, lift, corridors should be designed in order to make
the building more accessible for the disabled. 
 In a public building, the slope of the ramps should have a slope of 1:20. The steps
should be avoided numerous times on the floor. A ramp or a platform lift should be
provided according to the number of staircases provided. Lifts should be provided
in a building with more than one floor. 
 Circulation of a building should not be obstructed by deliveries, machinery, etc.
Doors should be kept open wherever possible. Doors that are closed should be easy
for a customer to open. The width of the door should be kept such that it is wide
enough for all customers.
3. Signage's in the building 

 Signage's in a public building should be mandatory so as to give a direction to the

customers. The signage's that are there in the building should be designed
according to the prescribed guidelines by the authorities, have a braille system or
raised lettering whenever possible, have a writing that is large enough for the users
to read, use appropriate symbols.
4. Intercom, queuing systems, ticket offices, and information desks.

 The location, language of intercoms, queuing systems, ticket offices, or information

desks should be provided after considering the factors like. 
  When customers are not able to read the visual information.
 Hear audio information or intercoms
 Reach tickets or intercoms that are very high or low to reach
 Understand the language

5. Toilets 

 Public toilets for people with disabilities should be provided. Providing an alarm
system in the accessible toilets should be done and regular maintenance should be
done. The toilets should not be used for storing cleaning equipment, deliveries, etc. 
 Sanitary bins in the accessible toilets should be provided and should not obstruct
the wheelchair users.  
7. Lighting

 The lighting in the public building should be distributed evenly. The large variation
in lighting levels should be avoided and should not be too bright or too dark.
Glossy, shiny, and polished surface finishes should be avoided. Reflections,
shadows, and glare should be kept minimum. 

8. Visual Contrast. 

 Differences in color and color intensity should be used to create visual contrast.
This method will help people with visual impairment to:-
 Distinguish between walls and floors. 
 Distinguish between door backgrounds and fittings. 
 Avoid hazards
 Find their way around the building 
9. Flooring

 Space which is disabled friendly should provide flooring which is as follows:- 

 Hardwood flooring is useful in allowing ease of passage which should be
considered for people using wheelchairs. 
 Vinyl flooring is highly affordable and is slip-resistant. This feature allows for
easy usage for people with disabilities. 

10. Accessible countertops

 Apart from the above factors mentioned, countertops should be placed at a

comfortable height for the disabled. Appliances should be provided at a height
where the people using the wheelchair can access the same. 
 In all, to create a space user-friendly, space should be flexible enough to be used by
all kinds of people. Space should be comfortable and accessible to use by the
ultimate user. 
Designing and Navigating Spaces for People with
Vision Impairment
 Introduction
 Blindness, low vision, vision loss, and visually impaired are all terms commonly
used in relation to people who cannot see well. According to the World Health
Organization, approximately 1.3 billion people around the globe live with a vision
impairment of some sort.
 Today, those dealing with vision loss live increasingly independent lifestyles. They
are out in the community, using their existing vision along with technology and
assistance devices to maneuver alongside people with normal vision.
 For those designing and building public spaces, making those spaces easier to
access and negotiate for people with vision concerns is an important consideration.
 People with vision loss learn how to navigate a world designed for seeing people,
and they use specific design elements, such as blistered pavers before crosswalks,
to help.
 There are established international standards that help keep these signals and cues
uniform around the globe, and designers should adhere to them as they work to
create spaces that work for people with vision loss.
Outdoor Spaces – Design Recommendations
 Navigating the outdoors is a definite challenge for people who are visually
impaired. Unlike their own homes, where they can control the environment, the
outdoors are filled with challenges and constantly changing hazards.

 Increase Contrast
 People with low vision often can rely on
increased contrast to help them see where
roadways and hazards are. Here are some
areas where you can add contrast to
improve the navigability of your outdoor
space.
 Use color contrasts to indicate a
difference in function. For example, if
you want to differentiate between a
sidewalk and a curb, add a bright white or
yellow line to the edge of the curb, which
will differentiate it from the dark
pavement.
 Use illumination or lighting contrasts
to help people see areas where their
safety may be at risk. 
 Augment illumination at crosswalks and
similar areas for people who struggle to
see well. Care should be taken to
minimize glare while maximizing
contrast.

 Use tactile paving to indicate a change

between areas designated for
pedestrians, bikes, and other uses. 
 The use of tactile paving does not need
to be limited to crosswalks and bubble
pavement. You can also add elongated
ridges along walking paths to help
people with low vision detect where
they can safely walk.
 This can help users with vision
impairments stay safe and avoid causing
a hazard for those on bikes or
motorbikes.
 Utilize Sounds
 People with vision concerns learn to
rely on their other senses to navigate the
world.
 For example, they may perceive when
they’re approaching a cross street by
listening for the sounds of oncoming
traffic or feeling a change in the wind
direction due to the lack of buildings
blocking the wind.

 Create spaces that minimize echoes. The sound distortion created by echoes can
be difficult for people with vision concerns to manage. In certain configurations, it
confuses the input on which they could otherwise rely for additional info about their
surroundings.
 Utilize auditory (sound) cues at important areas. Adding an alarm or countdown
to an intersection that alerts a blind user when it’s safe to cross, for example, can
make the crossing safer.
 Consider different sounds given off by different textures when making textured
surfaces. For example, when someone is walking with a long cane, rubber tiles near
intersections give off a different sound than the pavement, signaling a change in
terrain.
 Create Barriers
 In outdoor spaces, barriers are important
to help individuals with vision
impairment discern where they are and
where the should or should not be. Use
these tips to make them more easily
seen and helpful.

 Utilize non-solid boundaries where

fencing is not appropriate. 
 Short poles or posts, for instance, can
create a visual barrier to a space where a
fence may not be appropriate or needed.
 These must be marked by especially
high-contrast colors or markers so that
vision-impaired individuals can see or
reach for them to distinguish the edges
of the space.
Indoor Spaces – Design Recommendations
 Contrast, textures, sounds, and lighting are equally important indoors as they are
outdoors. People living with visual impairment can benefit from additional design
features that help them navigate indoor spaces with ease.
 Stairways
 Use the texture of stripes at the top and
bottom of the staircase. Raised stripes
indicate a tripping hazard is ahead, and
blind individuals know to watch for this
texture when navigating a space.
 Add textured tape or another textured
warning signal to the edge of each
step. This can help someone going up or
down stairs know when they have reached
the edge of each step.
 Use contrast to mark the edge of steps. In
addition to the tape, use contrasting colors
to mark the edge of the step. Choosing
textured tape that contrasts with the step
color can accomplish this.
 Doorways and Windows
 Add stickers or glazing to glass windows
and doors to improve visibility.
 Clear glass can be particularly difficult for
people with low vision, who may not
realize there’s a barrier in the way. Using
decals with dots or stripes to create a
visual mark can help.

 Add color contrast around the frame of

the door. 
 This will allow individuals with low vision
to detect and enter the doorway without
hurting themselves by bumping an unseen
edge.
 Consider installing automatic
doorways. 
 Doors that open automatically are easier to
use for those with vision concerns. Make
sure doors open into the flow of traffic,
rather than toward people approaching the
door. If possible, opt for sliding doors that
move completely out of the way.
 Lighting

 Keep your spaces well lit. 

 While dim lighting may create an ambiance you want, it also makes it nearly
impossible to navigate a space when you have low vision concerns.
 Bright light that minimizes glare while allowing ample contrast is ideal.
 Choose lighting as close to natural sunlight as possible.

 Implement floor or other area lighting. 

 Lighting directed onto traditionally darkened areas - to illuminate barriers in

walkways or under stairs, or brighten workspaces under cabinets - can be helpful to
people with low vision.

 Consider the problem of glare. 

 Glare makes it difficult for people with low vision to see well.
 Choose glare-free lighting options to help eliminate this problem.
 Watch for places where your lighting will glare off of reflective surfaces, and adjust
materials or their orientation in those areas.
 Signage

 Keep signage large and contrasting. 

 People with low vision rely on contrasting colors
to see. Large signs with clearly contrasting
characters and images are easier to read than
small signage with low contrast.
 Use high-contrast lighting to illuminate signs. 
 Brighter illumination on signage can improve the
ability to see contrasts and discern characters
even further for people with low vision.
 Know where you must add signage
throughout your facility. 
 The ADA indicates specific places where you
must locate accessible signage, including those
that designate restrooms, parking areas, exits,
and permanent rooms or spaces.
 Add tactile signage and tactile maps. 
 Situating Braille and raised or indented signs at a
natural level for people to touch can help those
with extremely limited vision or no vision at all
to figure out where they are within the space.