Designing A City For All

International workshop Sensing the City
Gdensk, Poland (18/10/2009 – 31/10/2009)
COORDINATOR
Gdansk University of Technology - Politechnika Gdańska – Poland www.pg.gda.pl
PATNERS
Università degli Studi Roma Tre – Italy, www.pism.uniroma3.it
Universidad de Alcala
Alcala’ - Spain www.uah.es
Università degli Studi dell’Aquilla – Italy www.univaq.it
Università degli Studi Roma Tre -
Dipartimento di Studi Urbani
www.uniroma3.it
www.pism.uniroma3.it
i i 3 it
Dr. Antonio Caperna, PhD
Designing a city for all

(senses)
CONTENTS
1. General overview about disabilities

2. Universal design and urban environment
• Theoretical aspect
• Technical aspect
• examples
p
Disability:
Medical
ed ca aand
d Soc
Social
a model
ode
Disability: Medical and Social model
A disabled person is one

who has a condition called a
disability that interferes with
his or her ability to perform
one or more activities of
everyday living.
For example, locomotion
(i d
(indoors andd going
i outside),
id )
getting dressed,
communicating with others
Form of disabilities
Disability may involve physical impairment, sensory
i
impairment,
i t cognitive
iti or iintellectual
t ll t l iimpairment,
i t mental
t l
disorder, or various types of chronic disease.
Different problems, different needs
Multisensorial design
M lti l approach
Multiply h
To take into account

multiply options and
combine it
BUT….
“disabled” is an identity
that one is not necessarily
born with, as disabilities
are more often acquired
than congenital.
e.g. TAB, Temporarily Able-Bodied

manyy p people
p will develop p disabilities at some p
point in
their lives, due to accidents, illness (physical, mental
or emotional), or late-emerging effects of genetics.
…..
Disability refers to the
social effects of
physical,
p ys ca , emotional
e ot o a or o
mental impairment
We can talk about

“
“social
i l model'
d l' off
disability”
the real issue is the societal response to

disability
if a community:
¾ allows
ll physical,
h i l architectural,
hit t l
transportation, and other barriers to
remain in place, society is creating
handicaps that oppress individuals
with disabilities.
barriers persons
¾ removes those barriers,
with disabilities can function at much
higher levels
Uni ersal design principles
Universal
Universal design principles
Universal design
is an approach to the design of
products, services and
environments to be usable by as
many people as possible
regardless of age
age, ability or
situation.
It links directly to the political
concept of an inclusive society
and its importance has been
recognized
i db by governments, t
business and industry.
Principles developed by the Centre for Universal Design, North Carolina

State University
Principle
p 1: Equitable
q Use
Principle 2: Flexibility in Use
Principle 3: Simple and Intuitive Use
Principle 4: Perceptible Information
Principle 5: Tolerance for Error
Principle 6: Low Physical Effort
Principle 7: Size and Space for Approach and Use
… To transform the
constrains into
opportunity
Universal Design and urban

environment
Ethics, Social
WHY/WHAT
/ inclusion
inclusion,
UNIVERSAL HOW? Change
DESIGN paradigm
WHERE
¾ Industrial design
¾ Web design
¾ Urban Environment
¾….
URBAN
ENVIRONMENT
Universal Design and urban environment
Problem concern
Indoor Outdoor
environment environment
Theoretical aspect
Houses
Flats
work-place
Technical aspect
public offices…
Existing spaces
New spaces
UD Design
Universal and Urban Environment
and urban environment
Urban Environment
Problem concern
Historical modern
cities cities
architectural barriers
physical
h i l obstructions
b t ti
safety,
safety
hierarchy and clear differences

from
o pedes
pedestrian
a spaces a and
d
vehicular traffic,
paving,
pedestrian crossing,
p g
signals
information
lack of signals or too much info that allow
the
eoorientation
e a o a andd the
e recognizability
ecog ab y o of
the places and the sources of danger
Realization of “informational
modules” or tactile maps in tube
station, bus stop, public buildings,
etc.
situation of discomfort,
discomfort
absence of accessible toilettes,
information points,
absence
abse ce o
of pub
public
c se
service
ce o
or g
green
ee aareas,
eas,
etc.
differences of levels, slopes

distances
Outdoor environment
Outdoo e o e t
A practical and Theoretical tool
Identification of the needs

piazza Navona
(Rome)
site Universal Design and urban environment
We must consider all aspects of the outdoor environment:
■ street
t t network,
t k shape
h and
d type;
t
■ open space;
■ junctions;
■ materials and kerbs;
■ street/footwayy widths;
■ street furniture, including seating and signage
Cultural and Architectural heritage
GOAL
Urban space should have certain qualities if it is to be responsive
to human feelings
g and sensibilities
A legible environment - hierarchy of street types, Entrances to places and buildings are clearly
visible and obvious
A distinctive environment - Urban and building form is varied There is a variety of landmarks
including historic and civic buildings, distinctive structures and
places of activity,
activity Architectural features are in a variety of styles
styles, colours and materials
A safe environment - Bicycle lanes are separate from footways, Paving is flat, smooth and non-
slip, Street lighting is adequate for people with visual impairments, Level changes are clearly
marked
Physical and mental health - Opportunities for exercise and access to fresh air
Mobility - Ease of access to facilities/amenities and open space (inc.
(inc with assistive technology);
wayfinding ability and ability to go out
Sense of community - Belonging and social support networks
Autonomy and control - Independence, self-actualisation, self-esteem, and self-efficacy
….
Basic Access refers to people’s ability to access goods, services and
activities that society considers particularly important (also called essential
or lifeline).
Basic Access typically includes:
9 Emergency services (police, fire, ambulances, etc.)

9 Public services and utilities
9 Health care
9 Basic food and clothing
9 Education and employment (commuting)
9 Mail and package distribution
9 Freight delivery
9 A certain amount of social and recreational activities
Application
ANALYSIS
Buildings (public or
private)
Ministry of Culture
Municipality
others
Source. Prof. Arch. Fabrizio Vescovo, Progetto pilota per il centro storico
Road network
Parking areas
edest a a
Pedestrian areas
eas
Small roads
Bus stop
T i station
Taxi t ti
services
Religious building
Public offices
Cultural buildings
H lth services
Health i
Commercial roads
A hit t
Architectural
l heritage
h it
ROADS
PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION
• Obstacles and protruding elements in the

path of travel
• Low overhanging signs
• Lack of warning signs around
obstructions
• Sidewalk narrow
• Rubbish skips
• C parking
Car ki
• disconnected road is cause of danger
• Absence of blind guide
• Communication at bus
bus-stop
stop
• Sidewalk
• Paving of the road improve the sound of
the traffic
• Car/motorbyke parking
• Low level of communication
Source. Dr. Antonio Caperna, Accessibilità nel Rione Monti di Roma

Theoretical and technical Suggestion

Goal
Reinforcement of
Nodes
Connections
Hierarchy
Primary ways
Secondary roads
M i nodes
Main d
Secondary nodes
Services
Reserved parking
Informational points
Electric cars or scooters
Electric busses
Blind guide
Obstructions
• include street furniture, traffic
signs direction signs
signs, signs, street Overhanging signs in
plans, bollards, plants, trees, accessible pathways should
shop awnings and advertising be mounted at a minimum
clear height of 2.00m to allow
signs etc
signs, etc. a sightless person to pass
• should be placed outside the safely
path of travel wherever
possible.
ibl
• in the pathway should be easy
to detect, and if possible,
should be placed along one
continuous line
Overhanging vegetation
• The minimum width of a clear should be clipped to a
unobstructed path should be minimum clear height of
0.90 m 2.00 m
PATHWAYS
PLANNING PRINCIPLE
To provide clear, obstruction-free, level and wide pathways for the
convenience of all users
PROBLEM
9 Uneven curbs with obstacles and holes.
9 Inconvenient or dangerous
g interruptions
p in the p
path of travel.
9 Insufficient width.
9 Changes in level.
CONSIDERATIONS
Street pavements,
pedestrian passages in open spaces and recreational areas,
pedestrian underpasses and overpasses are all considered pathways or
ramps.
…
Questions (check-list)
9Is the pathway clear of obstructions?
9Is the path of travel free of steps or stairs?
9Is the path of travel easy to detect?
9Is the pathway at least 0.90 m wide?
9Is the surface, level, smooth and non-slip?
9Does the pathway have a different colour and texture than the adjacent surfaces?
9Are manholes placed outside the pedestrian path of travel?
Is grating flush with the surface of the pathway?
9Is
9Are the grating openings narrow, not more than 13 mm?
9Are the edges of raised pathways protected?
9Are the plant varieties used obstructive to the pathway?
9 ……
PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS
PRINCIPLE
To facilitate the safe and independent crossing of all people.
PROBLEM
¾ Uneven road surface.
¾ Lack of guide strips.
¾ Lack of warning marking for crossings.
¾ Gratings
G i on the
h road d surface.
f
CONSIDERATIONS
9P d t i crossings
9Pedestrian i should
h ld bbe equipped
i d with
ith ttraffic
ffi control
t l signals
i l
9Low-traffic crossings frequently used by disabled people can be controlled by a
pedestrian push-button system
9Constructing traffic islands to reduce the length of the crossing is
recommended for the safety of all road users
9The road surface should be firm, well-drained, non-slip and free of construction
joints
Pedestrians should have priority to the road traffic
It is important to force the drivers to reduce their speed.
This can be achieved in different ways:
• Traffic islands to reduce the length of the crossing for pedestrians and the width of the road
crossed
• The road surface at pedestrian crossings can be raised to the same level as the pathway
• Speed control measures: speed humps or chicanes jjust before the pedestrian crossings g
Guide strips
Guide strips should be constructed to

indicate the position of pedestrian crossings
for the benefit of sightless pedestrians
A guide strip should lead to pedestrian light

poles with push buttons for the benefit of the
visually disabled.
Traffic island
Light, ..
Source. Prof. Arch. Fabrizio Vescovo

STREET FURNITURE
PLANNING PRINCIPLE
To design accessible amenities convenient to all people, without obstructing the free
passage of pedestrians along travel routes.
PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION
9 Lack of or improper design of street furniture.
9 Obstructed pathways.
9 Inaccessible street facilities
facilities.
DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
street furniture includes
bus stops, mail boxes, lampposts, signboards, telephone booths, public toilets, newspaper
kiosks, planting tubs, garbage bins, etc.
Park benches
Source. Prof. Arch. Fabrizio Vescovo,
O ti l distance
Optimal di t between
b t park
k benches
b h
Adoption of ischial sittings
Source. Arch. Fabrizio Vescovo

For outdoor parking, accessible parking

spaces should be located not more
than 50 m from accessible building
entrances.
PARKING
RAMPS
Inaccessible building entrances due to
difference between indoor and outdoor
levels.
Inaccessible routes due to differences
in level.
The maximum recommended slope of

ramps is 1:20. Steeper slopes may be
allowed in special
p cases depending
p g on
the length to be covered
Natural and artificial guide

Natural orientationpoints
Smelling elements such as flower
boxes with strong smelling plants,
the exhaust of busses …
Acoustic elements such as

water (fontain), by using the
grit of shells on the floor the
own footsteps and those of
other people can be heard
what creates safety
Tangible elements such as diffrent

structures
t t e in the floo
floor, breezes,
b ee e …
Tangible tiles have diffrent functions:

- Give orientation and direction
- Indicate danger
- Symbolic value
Handrail. tactile maps in tube station,

bus stop
stop, public building,
building etc.
etc
Train platform
ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY
A i ti T
Assistive Technology
h l for
f Students
St d t With Disabilities
Di biliti
PILOT LIGHT - miniradar

Con il PILOT-LIGHT il non-vedente potrà:
- conoscere i colori dei semafori (tutti e tre)
- conoscere il numero di linea e l'eventuale direzione dei mezzi
pubblici (es. autobus numero 5 diretto alla stazione)
- trovare le cabine telefoniche , sapere se sono libere od occupate
- "leggere" i tabelloni-orari-partenze dei treni o degli aerei
- trovare
t i binari
bi i di partenza,
t posti
ti di polizia,
li i bibiglietterie,
li tt i b bar, ttoilette,
il tt
deposito bagagli, taxi, eccetera.
- visitare i musei, individuare le opere esposte ed averne la
descrizione
- servirsi del Bancomat ed essere pilotato nelle varie fasi
- andare a teatro ed avere la descrizione delle scene
- , si sono attrezzate banche, farmacie e la stazione ferroviaria.
….
Blind people can:

-Cross the main street because the system is connected
with the traffic light
-- which
hi h bbus go tto th
the maini station
t ti
- “read” the time table, know the platform, the police
station, ticket point, left luggage office, bar, toilette…
-ggo to theater and have a descriptionp of the scenes
BEST PRACTICES
MUSEUM Museo Tattile Statale Omero

Touching art
Uffizi quattro capolavori in rilievo per i non vedenti
Ritratto del Duca di Urbino'
'Ritratto Urbino di Piero della Francesca, del 'Ritratto
Ritratto di
giovane con medaglia' di Botticelli, del 'Ritratto di Cosimo il Vecchio' del
Pontormo e della splendida 'Madonna del cardellino' di Raffaello
Touch faces,
faces bodies
bodies, gestures,
gestures expressions,
expressions
discover volumes and perspective with your own
hands.
The Museo Tattile Statale Omero was created to fill
this gap in the range of cultural services for the non-
non
sighted, and also to offer an innovative space where
artistic perception passes through multi-sense, and not
just visual, stimuli.
Tiber island
Accessibility is guaranteed by lift
supported by people that help disable
people
Coliseum
Musei Capitolini
Musei Capitolini
Villa d’Este (Tivoli, Rome)
Terraced garden
Villa d’Este (Tivoli, Rome)

PALATINO FORUM -
ARCHEOLOGICAL AREA
PALATINO FORUM
ARCHEOLOGICAL AREA
OUR CHALLENGES AS ARCHITECT

¾ changing paradigm
¾ ethical issue
¾ UD as creative
ti challenge
h ll
¾ Social inclusion
¾ Demographic Change in Europe, the most significant
impact will be the ageing population in Europe. By 2050 34.5 % will be
over the age of 60 years old.
¾ Economic Impacts and Opportunities
¾ Preserve an make accessible the historical heritage
…
REFERENCES
¾ Vescovo F. (1996). Progettare per tutti senza barriere architettoniche. Criteri ed
orientamenti per facilitare l'accessibilità urbana ed il comfort ambientale. Maggioli
¾ Empler T., (1997). Progettare il confort urbano e d'interni. Guida a una progettazione
plurisensoriale Maggioli
plurisensoriale.
¾ Norvegian State Council on Disability, Universal Design. Planning and Design for All,
Oslo, Sweden 1997
¾ Ostroff, E., ppreiser, W. F.E. ((eds.),
) Universal Design
g Handbook, McGraw-Hill, New York,
2001
¾ Clarkson P.J., R. Coleman, S. Keates (2003). Inclusive Design: Design for the Whole
Population, Springer
¾ Argentin II., Clemente MM., Empler T T., Eliminazione barriere architettoniche
architettoniche, progettare
per una utenza ampliata, DEI, Tipografia del Genio Civile, 2004
¾ Laurìa A. (a cura di), Persone “reali” e progettazione dell'ambiente costruito.
L'accessibilità come risorsa p qualità ambientale, Maggioli,
per la q gg Rimini, 2003.
Internet
www.progettarepertutti.org
http://etopia sintlucas be/did2/
http://etopia.sintlucas.be/did2/
http://www.pism.uniroma3.it
Dr. Antonio Caperna is Senior Lecturer at Postgraduate Master Course in Interactive Sustainable
Design and Multimedia - Università di Roma Tre (Italy).
He has a strong g background
g in Architecture and Urbanism,, with a pparticular interest in sustainability,
y,
the digital technology (Information Communication Technology) and urban environment, and the
theory of complex systems applied to urban design.
His academic experience dues in several international context (St. Lucas School of Architecture
Brussels-Ghent,, Belgium;
g ; Rensselaer Polytechnic
y Institute of Troy,
y, Rome;; Cornell University y of
Rome; Bauhaus Universität Weimar, etc.).
In 2008 he was guest lecturer during the XXIII U.I.A. world congress of Architecture (Turin 2008), and
co-tutor at international workshop “Transmitting the sustainable city”.
Member of several Professional Bodies ((INTBAU , Arch.Net, AHARA)) He’s author of numerous
papers and article; the latest academic work are (forthcoming book) ICTs for Urban Development and
Monitoring (edited by Carlos Nunes Silva, University of Lisbon, Portugal, IGI Global Editor), and
Urban Planning & Digital Technology (edited by Elena Mortola, Università di Roma Tre, Italy, Aracne
Editor).
)

Designing A City For All

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International workshop Sensing the City

Gdensk, Poland (18/10/2009 – 31/10/2009)

Dr. Antonio Caperna, PhD

Designing a city for all

1. General overview about disabilities

A disabled person is one

Different problems, different needs

To take into account

e.g. TAB, Temporarily Able-Bodied

We can talk about

the real issue is the societal response to

Principles developed by the Centre for Universal Design, North Carolina

Universal Design and urban

hierarchy and clear differences

differences of levels, slopes

Identification of the needs

We must consider all aspects of the outdoor environment:

Basic Access typically includes:

9 Emergency services (police, fire, ambulances, etc.)

• Obstacles and protruding elements in the

Source. Dr. Antonio Caperna, Accessibilità nel Rione Monti di Roma

Theoretical and technical Suggestion

Guide strips should be constructed to

A guide strip should lead to pedestrian light

Source. Prof. Arch. Fabrizio Vescovo

Adoption of ischial sittings

Source. Arch. Fabrizio Vescovo

For outdoor parking, accessible parking

The maximum recommended slope of

Natural and artificial guide

Acoustic elements such as

Tangible elements such as diffrent

Tangible tiles have diffrent functions:

Handrail. tactile maps in tube station,

PILOT LIGHT - miniradar

Blind people can:

MUSEUM Museo Tattile Statale Omero

Villa d’Este (Tivoli, Rome)

Villa d’Este (Tivoli, Rome)

OUR CHALLENGES AS ARCHITECT

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