Truly inclusive spaces are designed for accessibility

{"version":"0.3.0","atoms":[],"cards":[],"markups":[["a",["href","https:\/\/studiopacificaseattle.com\/","target","_blank"]],["a",["href","https:\/\/www.ada.gov\/","target","_blank"]],["a",["href","https:\/\/make.space\/designing-for-neurodiversity-builds-healthier-workplaces-for-all?utm_medium=Publication\u0026utm_source=AIA\u0026utm_campaign=AIA\u0026utm_term=Neurodiversity","target","_blank"]],["a",["href","https:\/\/www.ada.gov\/ada_intro.htm","target","_blank"]],["a",["href","https:\/\/www.dirtt.com\/collections\/solid-walls\/?utm_medium=Publication\u0026utm_source=AIA\u0026utm_campaign=AIA\u0026utm_term=Accessibility","target","_blank"]],["em"],["a",["href","http:\/\/dirtt.com\/","target","_blank"]]],"sections":[[1,"h2",[[0,[],0,"AIA partner DIRTT explains how to create inclusive spaces by looking beyond the ADA and state building codes and consulting with disability community activists. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Enter a fast food restaurant and often you\u2019ll be faced with a sea of tall tables and chairs, sometimes immovable and secured to the ground. It\u2019s a design choice that makes architect Karen Braitmayer feel unwelcome."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"\u201cI sit in a wheelchair, and that is not a place that makes me feel like I can stay,\u201d she said. Without access to the table top, Braitmayer can\u2019t comfortably chat with friends, or sit and eat a meal at the same level as them."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Many people don\u2019t have to think twice about walking into a restaurant, workplace, healthcare facility, or school. But if accessible design isn\u2019t considered when a space is built, these spaces can be challenging, and ultimately exclusionary for those with disabilities."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"As founder and managing principal at "],[0,[0],1,"Studio Pacifica"],[0,[],0,", Braitmayer and her team of accessibility consultants work with architects and contractors to create barrier-free interiors that are inclusive and welcoming for everyone. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"And she finds that sharing personal examples \u2014 like that of the restaurant \u2014 helps design and built environment teams understand disability needs through the lens of her own lived experience. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"While inclusion is critical in design and construction these days, Braitmayer believes accessibility should be part of the DE\u0026I conversation as well. \u201c\u2018Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion\u2019 should really be \u2018Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility.\u2019 Those are all wrapped up together.\u201d "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"After all, how can you say you\u2019ve built an equitable and inclusive environment that meets the needs of diverse occupants, if people with disabilities can\u2019t get through doors or otherwise fully engage with the space? "]]],[1,"h3",[[0,[],0,"A multi-industry shift towards building more inclusive space"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Most designers, developers, and construction teams today want to invest in a build process and outcome that invites communities that have historically been excluded to experience a more comfortable and inclusive built environment."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"So how does accessibility fit in this conversation?"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Braitmayer thinks accessible design has come a long way in the past three decades since the federal "],[0,[1],1,"Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)"],[0,[],0," was passed. But there\u2019s still plenty of room for improvement to create a world with spaces that are fully accessible to people with disabilities as well as "],[0,[2],1,"those who are neurodivergent"],[0,[],0,". "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"For instance, using a public restroom is a universal human requirement. But it\u2019s still not unusual to enter a restroom and find all amenities in the space have been standardized, said Braitmayer. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"\u201cAll the sinks are the same height, all the paper towel dispensers are the same height. But why do we do that? When humans come in different sizes and shapes, we could have a low paper towel dispenser and a high paper towel dispenser. We could have a soap dispenser that\u0027s close to the edge of the sink, and one that\u0027s back on the mirror.\u201d "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"To design and construct whole buildings that enable a variety of human experiences, the ADA and state building codes with accessibility considerations are a good place to begin planning. But to ensure you are creating truly inclusive spaces, you need to look beyond these legislated guidelines and consult with accessibility advocates and advisors as well, Braitmayer said. "]]],[1,"h3",[[0,[],0,"Accessibility laws and codes are just a starting point "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Braitmayer described the ADA as groundbreaking when it was first established in 1990. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"As \u201cone of America\u0027s most comprehensive pieces of civil rights legislation that prohibits discrimination and guarantees that people with disabilities have the same opportunities as everyone else to participate in the mainstream of American life,\u201d the act outlines comprehensive standards for accessible design, "],[0,[3],1,"according to the U.S. Department of Justice"],[0,[],0,". "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Three decades later, the ADA continues to provide important design protocols. However, as design standards evolve over time to meet ever-changing needs and enhance accessibility provisions, fresh, new guidelines are more likely to be reflected in state building codes, because they are updated more frequently."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"For instance, \u201cyou\u2019ll see in upcoming [state] codes, there\u2019s some great new language around adult changing tables; and in large occupancy buildings, around the increased space to accommodate a person who uses a mobility aid,\u201d Braitmayer said. \u201cThe footprint on the floor is going to grow in the next edition.\u201d"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"If interpreting all these rules and guidelines seems complicated, you\u2019re not alone. That\u2019s where accessibility specialists like Braitmayer come in, helping to decode regulatory requirements. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"But design standards will only take you so far if you want to build an environment that meets the unique needs of those set to inhabit the space. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"\u201cAccessibility should be done from the beginning,\u201d Braitmayer said. \u201cYou don\u0027t get your best result when you use it as a checklist, after you\u0027ve designed the building.\u201d"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Whether you\u2019re constructing an educational campus, medical facility, workplace, or public building, Braitmayer advises designers to consult early with disability community activists who can explain the differing needs of future occupants."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"She also encourages making it easier for people with disabilities or those who are neurodiverse to actually join the design team so they can identify solutions to challenges or pain points they face every day."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"In addition to following the right accessibility guidelines and working with a team that has diverse lived experiences, designers and architects can also opt for construction systems that enable the smooth creation of more accessible interiors. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"If key interior components such as walls, flooring, and doors are modular, they can easily be adapted \u2014 an important consideration for architects who need to modify existing space. A construction system that incorporates all of these elements makes it simpler to update an office, medical facility, or public building with accessible features. And it ensures future changes are easy to make as well."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[4],1,"DIRTT\u2019s wall assemblies"],[0,[],0," are an example of a modular system that supports adaptability. Removable wall panels can be swapped out without cutting drywall or repainting. Small changes to accommodate the height of attached equipment or accessories can be done quickly and without disruption to the occupants. Larger adjustments to the floor plate to enable mobility or create a safe, separated space can be completed by reusing existing wall assemblies, saving time and raw material costs. "]]],[1,"h3",[[0,[],0,"Choice is key when creating accessible and inclusive spaces"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"When Braitmayer talks about the downsides of a generic restroom with sinks and dispensers all the same height, her overarching accessible design solution is to provide options."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"To meet varied disability needs, give people \u201cchoices so that they can find the space or sink or fixture or accessory that works for them.\u201d Or throughout a building, add features such as touchless, power doors as an option for those using mobility aids. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Some of her projects also provide \u201ctouchdown spaces,\u201d where occupants with sensory-related concerns \u2014 not uncommon for people who are neurodiverse \u2014 can go and spend a couple of hours in a quiet, dim, or isolated (visually or audibly) environment."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"And choice can extend beyond what you might traditionally think of as accessibility features. Braitmayer said her clients are now not only seeking a design that is accessible, but also accommodating. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Essentially, some are asking for both accessibility and DE\u0026I considerations to be met simultaneously. And in doing so, serve overlapping needs."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"For instance, many companies or organizations seeking accessible restrooms also want those spaces to be all-gender, and thus more inclusive, Braitmayer said. Moving away from a male-versus-female restroom approach requires more than knocking down a few walls and connecting two conventionally gendered spaces, though. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"\u201cHow do you take that binary system and change it so that it really feels like it\u0027s an all-gender restroom? Because if it really looks like it\u0027s binary, it doesn\u0027t feel right,\u201d she explained. \u201cAnd that\u0027s not necessarily about accessibility, right? It is, but it isn\u0027t.\u201d"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"In this scenario, accessibility complements designing for diversity, equity, and inclusion, which can be a more complex undertaking but ultimately better serves people with varying needs. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Braitmayer\u2019s approach to accessible design is all about embracing an inclusive \u201cus\u201d perspective, rather than a \u201cthem\u201d outlook, which is a more exclusionary framing of disability communities (as well as neurodivergent and other marginalized groups). "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"\u201cAt some point, anybody can join the disability community, through illness, accident, aging, who knows? And if it\u0027s not you, it\u0027s going to be a family member or somebody that you love. So you\u0027re doing this for us,\u201d she said. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[5],0,"Visit "],[0,[6],1,"dirtt.com"],[0,[],1," to learn more about the adaptability of DIRTT\u2019s construction system."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[5],1,"AIA does not sponsor or endorse any enterprise, whether \npublic or private, operated for profit. Further, no AIA officer, \ndirector, committee member, or employee, or any of its component \norganizations in his or her official capacity, is permitted to approve, \nsponsor, endorse, or do anything that may be deemed or construed to be \nan approval, sponsorship, or endorsement of any material of construction\n or any method or manner of handling, using, distributing, or dealing in\n any material or product."]]]]}