Architectural & Urban Design Considerations for specially Abled People

Overview

Presently, it is estimated that nearly one in five people live with some form of disability. That’s roughly 50 million people—a number that only continues to grow. We are at some time in our lives physically disabled sooner or later. To the extent the as built environment is concerned, it is significant that it ought to be barrier free and adjusted to satisfy the necessities of all people. Actually, the requirements of the disabled correspond with the necessities of most of the people and all individuals are at ease with them. All things considered, getting ready for the greater part infers planning for people with different abilities and inabilities.

This article is composed to furnish draftsmen and planners with the fundamental data and information important for an obstruction free building infrastructure.

Designing and construction of barrier free infrastructure helps integrate disabled people to live a normal life and take active part in the society. This can be achieved by appropriate use of Architectural BIM Services for construction projects

Technical considerations and designing standards as per ADA and general standards should be taken into account in planning the built up environment. This comprises issues related to the design of several matching domains such as open spaces and recreational areas, local roads and pathways, building entrances and the interiors of buildings & the immediate vicinity of buildings.

Considerations for Urban design

Urban designs basically cover the design needs of open spaces, recreational areas and pedestrian routes. It introduces solutions to the primary problems in the design of an accessible outdoor environment. The below mentioned points should be checked while taking into consideration by the architects and designers while building an environment for specially challenged people.

• Obstructions (Obstacles and protruding elements in the path of travel)
• Parking
• Signage
• Pathways
• Street Furniture
• Curb Ramps
• Pedestrian Crossing

Considerations for Architectural Design

Architectural Design Concerns deals with the design needs of vertical and horizontal access in both new and existing infrastructures.  Below points should be taken care of.

• Ramps
• Platform Lifts
• Stairs
• Elevators
• Railing and Handrails
• Entrances
• Restrooms
• Corridors
• Vestibules

Now let’s talk about the roads accessibility issues for the disabled people.

While examining a commuter’s door to door journey, the connections between modes of movement, is likewise imperative to confirm that the set framework or infrastructure can be accessed by all individuals. While a transport course might be intended for wheelchairs, in the event where it stops on a bustling road without safe access to a close by station, it can present risk. Failure at any one point in the chain implies the entire framework falls flat, including the vehicles and the individuals who make the framework work.

Potential dangers can include poorly maintained pavements around transportation centres or inaccessible bridges to reach them.  The gap among vehicles and the platform can likewise introduce a risk making it hard to board, with extra falling or injury risks if a vehicle doesn’t have sufficient space to suit somebody in a wheel chair. Getting to the data to utilize transportation can even be an issue, if timetable data isn’t accessible for those with vision impairment.  

Without having the option to utilize transportation facilities, individuals with disabilities can think that it’s hard to find a job and are at higher danger of social exclusion. The infrastructure imposes design failures as there are inputs required from individuals with impairments and diminished versatility in the planning, designing and execution stage. This absence of correspondence can be risky to somebody with diminished versatility.

Also let’s talk about the general Railway accessibility issues faced by disabled people.

Railroad stations frequently have additional issues that should be resolved because of topography and regularly require a bridge or underpass to arrive at a specific stage. These frequently require stairs and in certain urban areas space might be at a higher cost, introducing further difficulties for designers.

These difficulties introduce opportunities for designers to discover imaginative methods for giving a safe and accessible infrastructure. One such case is the utilization of transparent lifts in select train stations to reduce the feeling of claustrophobia.

Low access vehicles, convenient lifts and manual folding ramps can help commuters in wheelchairs board and depart from trains, cable cars and other transport facilities while ramps and transparent lifts can decrease issues emerging from various levels.

Visual and tactical warning systems at the edge of stage, print signage and announcements help those with visual and sound disabilities to find their path towards train stations and transport stops. Inside the vehicles, priority and reservation for seating for disable persons, ailment or pregnancy, high visibility hand grips and vertical stanchions at entry and exits help decrease the danger of falling.

To Conclude…

Here we saw some general issues relating to road & railway transportation. There can be numerous design related issues with housing, bathrooms, transportations via roadways railways, airways which should be taken into consideration by the designers while designing the infrastructure for public use. Thus ADA plays a vital role in enhancing the designing and specifying standards which should be adhered to while designing infrastructure for disabled people making it accessible to everyone!

The department of justice in their ADA Standards for Accessible Design have mentioned how the designs both in scoping and technicality for newly designed and constructed or altered State and local government facilities, public accommodations, and commercial facilities should be so that it is readily accessible and usable by individuals with disabilities.

For any infrastructure to be fully accessible to disabled people must take into consideration all types of disabilities. Any place that takes into consideration barriers related to one type of disability and another place considering barriers relating to another type of disability would not be accessible to both type of difficulties.

“The general population are the clients and customers for this framework, so it is significant that they’re all are getting the advantage of the services that the government offers. As a society, we can invest to assist those without as many opportunities as the rest of us. We can collaborate with each in setting up a place bigger and better than we would otherwise.”

We at BIM Services India provide Architectural, Structural and MEP BIM Services, where in we have worked upon the designs for especially abled people marking a significant contribution to the society.