Barrier Free Architecture, Uuiversal Design, Accessibility and Inclusive Design- are there Accessible

摘要

The main objective of this paper first is to illustrate the background of various concept approaches and terminologies used to describe accessibility in the built environment. Barrier free architecture, universal design, accessibility and inclusive design generally describe the evolution of promoting the environment that promote accessibility and easy mobility to all: the aged, normal persons, vision impaired, hearing impaired, children, the disabled and wheelchairs users to move from one place to another, from outside buildings to inside building either vertical or horizontal movement safely. Second to identify facilities used to achieve accessibility for the above users safely and if possible independently. Third, to describe the methodology used including simulation and access audit to test weathers the facilities provided are in accordance to the minimum standards and the codes of practice provided locally or abroad. The case studies, experiences examples on the implementation of inclusive design will be in Malaysia, Singapore, and United Kingdom. Finally to identify to what extent the feedback from previous studies, and views from users and professionals on the facilities provided, on what we now call universal design could further be implemented in our built environment so that everybody should be given equal opportunity to access, thus the aging group, the disabled, children on pram have easy access to recreation, education, work, information technology, parks, commercial areas, transportation and housing areas. Thus, professionals in the built environment, building providers, officials from local authorities and decision makers should be knowledgeable on these concepts be it barrier free architecture, universal design, accessibility and inclusive design so that these could be understood and implemented in our built environment. As quoted by Patricia A. Moore, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, 2001, "With a lifetime challenge, we rely on the care of people and the support of places and the products that make us more able than we are alone. This a universal mandate. Architects and designers become our pathfinders when they view the life span as a whole and when they recognise that each individual, regardless of his or her situation, is deserving of an appropriate design response. This is universality by design."