The world is witnessing a rapid urbanization trend since the industrial revolution with more than half of the global population currently residing in major cities. As per a United Nations estimates, this is expected to increase to 70% by 2050. The urban infrastructure is hard pressed to cater to the need for adequate housing for the migrants as the influx is constantly increasing. Global warming, employment creation are some other challenges faced by the cities.
Another world bank statistic shows that about 15% of the world’s population has disabilities with a majority of them living in cities. Apart from this, everyone faces a temporary or a permanent disability at least once in their life span. Existing architecture of most of the cities is based on traditional way and hence, is not all-inclusive. The emphasis on creating sustainable cities that employ universal design is growing and many metropolitan governing bodies are aiming to transform their cities to an all-inclusive universal design.
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Why Universal Design?
Universal Design (aka The All-Inclusive Design or The Design for All) is a term that is used to address the accessibility needs of every individual. It is a part of Architectural Design and Architectural BIM Services that creates universal designs that can be accessed by impaired and non-impaired individuals equally. Accessibility means the usability of the design. When accessibility is integrated in every aspect of the design, it creates a “Universal Design”.
Individuals with disabilities constitute almost 15% of the population and it is the social and moral responsibility of the society to make the infrastructure accessible. Moreover, even a normal person encounters disability in a certain point of time where he requires special accessibility. For instance, young children, elderly people, temporary medical conditions such as fractures, operations, etc. Keeping all these factors in mind, designing universal public places have become legally binding in many countries.
Legal Imperatives
The United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III) adopted the “New Urban Agenda” which lays the foundation of working towards a universal access to city infrastructure and spaces for aged and disabled persons. This meets the UN Sustainable Development Goals and complies with the moral and legal imperatives for accessibility. Targets set under Goal 11 specifically mention accessible transport systems, affordable housing, universal access to public and green spaces, and disaster resilient infrastructure.
How Universal Design Contributes to Creating Sustainable Cities
Social Sustainability is a process of:
- Identifying and understanding what is required by people from the places they live and work
- Creating successful and sustainable infrastructure that fulfils their requirements and promotes their well-being.
In order to attain this, the current Architectural practices can be modified. They are listed below:
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Improvising existing building codes and regulations
It is more cost efficient to build a new building with universal accessibility as compared with an existing one. Modifying existing codes and regulations to incorporate accessibility and incorporating the same during the design phase creates a more efficient building. An analysis should be carried out to understand the existing gaps for disabled persons and the findings need to be incorporated in the codes. This also includes modifications in the MEP systems through efficient MEP BIM Services.
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Capacity Development of stake holders
It is crucial to sensitize and build the capacity of the architects, engineers, and designers along with the civil society, policy makers and other stake holders to the needs of the disabled persons. Integrating universal design with educational degree and diploma courses for architects and engineers will enable them towards creating a better universal design.
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Use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
Technological innovations along with ICT enabled services play a pivotal role in designing and shaping urban living and spaces. Emergence of “Smart Cities” that use digital technologies enable the government to provide improvised and efficient public services while improving their relationship with the citizens by employing new mechanisms to address grievances and create a robust system for feedback and interactions. ICT can radically transform the way person with disabilities manage and communicate information. Implementing universal design standards into ICT can break barriers and enable financial inclusion and socioeconomic participation. It also provides easy access to disaster management services, e-governance and community engagement.
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Promoting Participatory Design and Respecting Cultural Diversity
Sustainable, all-inclusive urban plan is peculiar to a local environment and ought to be receptive to social standards and sensitivities. Community users – includingthe incapacitated and more established network members of the community –all should participate in the planning, consultations, monitoring and inspections. Sensitizing the community towards the need and benefits of inclusion generates a sense of ownership of the universal design and promote voluntary compliance as opposed to enforced compliance. While top-down approach to create and reform policies, codes and regulationsis necessary, nurturing a participatory bottom-up approach is the key in converting universal design into a real change.
Closing
The success of any city is determined by the success of its inhabitants. Infrastructure that is built with an all-inclusive concept goes a long way in providing equal opportunities to all the sectors of the population. Good Architectural Design and BIM Architectural Services practises allows for the creation of safe, sustainable, and resilient cities without leaving behind persons with disabilities.