A group of University at Buffalo architects and researchers is looking to create a bridge for builders to access the latest design trends.
UB architects look to grant universal access to modern design trends
Category Archives: ViewUDGoals
A Closer Look at Universal Design
Something designed under the guiding principles of universal design should be usable by all people to the greatest extent possible. By definition, it should inherently be as accessible as possible for as many people as possible, minimizing need for further specialization.
Body Fit
Accommodating a wide a range of body sizes and abilities:
The dryers are arranged on the wall in three rows of 6 each to provide room for several people of all sizes the opportunity to dry off after water play. They can also be used to dry different parts of the body like heads and feet.
Comfort
Keeping demands within desirable limits of body function and perception
The design features of the Aeron Chair provide a supportive and comfortable chair that helps to reduce back injuries caused by the stress on the back of prolong periods of seated work. The Aeron chair includes an innovative mesh seat and back to keep the body cool, which reduces the risk of muscle injury. It has extensive adjustability and easy to use controls so that the user can vary their position periodically in comfort. It also comes in three sizes, small, medium, and large, to better accommodate the needs of people with different statures.
Awareness
Ensuring that critical information for use is easily perceived
The tactile guide tiles on the floor of this hotel lobby guide people from the entry, as well as other areas of the hotel, to the reception area. A different type of tile is used to mark the location of the pathways and waiting areas. These tiles help people with visual impairments find their way in the lobby and avoid getting too close to the reception area. They also assist the sighted traveler and serve as an affordance to help everyone remember to stay back and await their turn.
Understanding
Making methods of operation and use intuitive, clear and unambiguous
In the newest subway cars in New York, electronic displays are mounted above the door that illustrate, with color and illumination, the progress of the train along its route. The next and last stops are also displayed at the respective ends of the display. These displays help all travelers understand their location and anticipate when the train will reach their station. They are particularly useful for people with hearing and communication impairments. Audible announcements are also provided.
Wellness
Contributing to health promotion, avoidance of disease and protection from hazards
The City of New York has an extensive initiative focused on improving pedestrian and bicycle travel. Using simple and inexpensive strategies like painting and planters, hundreds of streets are being transformed to provide safer bicycling opportunities and passive recreation sites. The photograph shows an improvement on the West Side in midtown with a bike lane, enlarged sidewalk, and planters. The initiative is designed to encourage walking and bicycling and outdoor recreation by improving both safety of the environment and streetscape amenities.
Social Integration
Treating all groups with dignity and respect
The photograph shows a waterfront redevelopment project in Malmo that created a sustainable community with mixed uses. A pedestrian promenade has sitting and socializing spaces all along the waterfront side. On the other side of the promenade, mid-rise residential buildings are located with stores, restaurants and offices on the ground floor, giving residents and visitors many reasons to frequent the promenade. Housing in the district includes residential opportunities for many different types of households and mixed incomes.
Personalization
Incorporating opportunities for choice and the expression of individual preferences
The iStore introduced a new dimension to personal computing. By developing a simple and intuitive way to find, purchase, and install applications, individuals can easily personalize their devices with the tools, entertainment, and communication systems that they value. The screen grid and colorful icon interface features uses familiar models of the candy box and bento box to organize one’s applications in a manner that makes sense to the individual. The form of the iPhone and iPad readily accept a wide range of third party cases for personalization of the outside, as well to address both function and presentation of self.
Cultural Appropriateness
Incorporating opportunities for choice and the expression of individual preferences
The Hippo Water Carrier was designed to address the needs of low income people in developing regions and displaced persons in temporary camps. Supplying a household with water often requires a substantial investment in time to travel to and from the water supply location and wait for one’s turn. The Hippo water container is a fat hollow plastic wheel that has a long U-shaped handle fastened at the axle. Individuals can pull the carrier behind them while it rolls on the ground. The photo shows the carrier in use juxtaposed with a woman carrying a bucket on her head. The carrier reduces the effort required to carry water significantly, and, as the photo illustrates, allows an individual to carry much more water at one time which also reduces the number of trips needed to maintain a household on a weekly basis.