Design for all, for real

Accessibility just isn’t enough.

You've probably heard of "accessible environments". But have you heard of design for all, inclusive or universal?

You probably haven't, which is why we want to talk about topics that go beyond just “accessibility”. Let's take school as an example.

Accessible environments in Bulgaria are most often defined as installing a ramp somewhere and building an elevator. So far so good, but when Pepi, a 5th grader in a wheelchair, reaches the 3rd floor, what is next for him? The desks in his classroom are arranged in a way that he can only access the ones closest to the door; there is not enough space under the desk for his knees and he sits slightly to the side; the lockers for personal belongings are at the back of the room where he cannot reach them; there is a podium in front of the whiteboard and he has never written on it; the sockets in the room are too low and he cannot reach them; the only appropriate WC is on the first floor and he has to take the lift every time, so he is often late for class; the others are always together, coming down the stairs talking and laughing, and he has to take the lift at the other end of the corridor, etc. He feels too different and this prevents him from making friends. Nonetheless, the environment is kept accessible and supposedly helps him integrate successfully, right?
Now let's imagine that Pepi is on the autism spectrum. The elevator and the ramp couldn't ease the feeling of complete chaos of furniture and people or the feeling of panic because he was lost on the floors again; the strain on his eyes from the bright and screaming colors; the incessant background noise of the noise in the hallway constantly crackling in his brain.

In our country, accessible means that the environment is only physically accessible, sensory access is often out of the question (and unknown). Also, having an accessible environment means that there is an “inaccessible environment” somewhere.
All people should be able to participate equally in society and its dynamics, but it appears that this can only happen in “accessible” facilities. This is why the philosophies of 'universal design', 'inclusive design' and 'design for all' are emerging in the developed world.
All three currents share a common basis and concept: namely that the environment is inherently suitable for all people, regardless of their physical, sensory or cognitive abilities. That is, there is no need to “provide access” because all areas and services are designed to be accessible.
The environment becomes "for all" when it is:

• safe and comfortable;
• easy to orient and navigate;
• stimulating socialization and communication between all;
• providing equal conditions for the personal development of all.

These are 4 aspects that we also make sure to include in our projects, because they improve the quality of design and the experience for users with different abilities and needs, as well as for everyone else.

What is the way to create such an environment? The answer that all three of the above movements give is quite simple - through a so-called "human-centered" approach that involves all end-user groups from the beginning to the end of each project. We will illustrate this with an example from our work:

While we were developing the tactile routes for the Educational Complex: School, Kindergarten and Cultural center of OEB "Shalom", together with Iva Gadzeva from "Design for All Bulgaria" Foundation we came up with the idea to create a tactile "alphabet" of tactile elements on the ground. In order to make sure that this idea would really solve the challenge, Iva, the founder of the organization, consulted blind people in the following way:

Design for all Bulgaria is a non-profit organization that aims to empower all people to have equal opportunities to participate in every aspect of society. Our collaboration with Iva has led to many interesting cases and solutions.

We can't wait for the next exciting project to apply what we have learned and continue to explore how the environment can support all its users.