University Archives

This investigation explored the implementation of Universal Design practices into architectural education based on socio-cultural dimensions of disability and design.

“Most designers are uneducated in the needs of users with disabilities and different capabilities which means they do not know how to accommodate for them and their needs in the design process,” (Keates and Clarkson 2). Adopting a new concept into the profession requires strong support from education and the “lack of education and appropriate terminology [of Universal Design] has led to an overall deficiency in awareness” (Zallio and Clarkson 6).

Research questions included:

What is the current discourse of disability within architectural education surrounding socio-cultural narratives within North America regarding disabilities?

How can architectural education promote the use of Universal Design within architectural students’ design practices?

Through a co-constructed framework, interviews were conducted with people who have disabilities to investigate the discourse of disability with a focus on identifying the socio-cultural experiences within the built environment. Students’ understanding of the same concepts were tested through a design charrette where they were tasked with redesigning the entrance of the Loranger building for specific people with disabilities.

Findings uncovered the gaps within architectural education surrounding disability discourse and contributed to the investigation of identifying the concepts that should be implemented into architectural learning. Furthermore, the method of testing a specific concept within architectural education uncovered architectural students’ biases associated with disabilities.

Work Cited

Keates, S., and P.J. Clarkson. “Countering design exclusion: Bridging the gap between usability and accessibility.” Universal Access in the Information Society, vol. 2, no. 3, 1 Oct. 2003, pp. 215–225, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10209-003-0059-5.

Zallio, Matteo, and John Clarkson. “Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility in the Built Environment: A Study of Architectural Design Practice.” Building and Environment, Pergamon, 16 Sept. 2021, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360132321007496.