It’s time we think outside the BCA box, and identify barriers to access from a range of occupant perspectives. This is second nature to OTs, but it can be easily applied by designers and building owners too, all we need is an open mind.
Universal Design (UD) is an approach to design that increases the potential for developing a better quality of life for a wide range of individuals. It is a design process that enables and empowers a diverse population by improving human performance, health and wellness, and social participation (Steinfeld and Maisel, 2012). It creates products, systems, and environments to be as usable as possible by as many people as possible regardless of age, ability or situation.
