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Disability innovations100 per cent accessible AucklandCreating a fully inclusive society! | Disability relationship project | Achievements | Disability definition | Accessible Auckland | Access Auckland: an access map for Auckland's CBD | Good Design Guide | Disability framework for action Good Design GuideUniversal Design - designing accessible built environments
Auckland City is committed to a 100 per cent accessible Auckland. The purpose of this Good Design Guide is to assist those involved in designing the built environment to understand how the principles of universal design create quality environments that are fully accessible to everyone. Universal design is about designing built environments that are safe and accessible for everyone, irrespective of age and ability. At some time in life, through accident, illness, or old age, everyone will experience impairment. Accessible built environments are those that meet the access requirements of all people, from those with limited strength or stamina, balance, hand function and vision impairments, to people recovering from an accident or operation, using a pushchair or wheelchair, carrying small children or a heavy load.
Universal Design relies on the three fundamental elements of an accessible route - approachability or route to the building; accessibility into and around the building; and usability of facilities inside the building. Together they make up the 'accessible journey'. If one element is missing, the accessible journey fails. Some areas where the journey often fails include the street boundary or car parks to the building, ramps and steps without handrails, lack of signage, slippery floors and heavy doors. This guide highlights some of these elements, demonstrating how the accessibility and useability of a facility can be greatly enhanced without additional costs. Universal design needs to be considered at the beginning of the design process. Footpaths Where a developer provides footpaths within a site these need to have a minimum unobstructed width of 1.8 metres to meet requirements. A minimum 1.8 metre footpath (ideally more) allows people using wheelchairs, mobility scooters, guide dogs and pushchairs to comfortably pass others. Surface finishes Slip resistant materials that exceed minimum Building Code requirements are needed on all ground surfaces. Smooth or highly polished surfaces pose a slip hazard for everyone, particularly when wet. Entrances Building entrances should be easily identifiable, directly accessible from the street for all users, covered and well lit. Ideally all entrances should be part of the Accessible Route, then no-one is disadvantaged by having to seek an alternative entrance. Doors Automatic opening entrance doors are preferred. Hinged doors need to be easy to open and close. All non-fire doors should operate with a maximum force of 38N / 4Kg for external and 22N / 2Kg for internal doors and open both ways where practical. As we age, our strength reduces. Spring closures on doors are frequently and unnecessarily set at too high a force. Hinged doors opening both ways allows them to be pushed, rather than pulled, from both directions. Doors should have a minimum opening width of 760mm, but 810mm is preferred. A 810mm wide door creates an accessible environment for all. It also raises amenity by creating a sense of spaciousness. All glass doors and walls need to be highly visible. A 20mm opaque band is inadequate. A highly colour contrasted 100mm minimum wide feature should run the full width of the glass. Enlarged coloured logos are one solution. The leading edges of glass doors also need colour contrasted protective strips to prevent injury. Serious injuries can result from people not seeing glass doors and walls. Reflections and shadowing make frosted panels or narrow bands on glass hard or impossible to see, especially with ageing eyesight. Ideally, discernible patterning over most of the surface works best.
All signs should be strongly graphically based, with careful thought given to their height and location, lettering size, type, and colour contrast. Braille designations are needed on lift buttons. Graphically based signs can be easily understood by everyone, including those with vision impairments and language difficulties. Circulation spaces Entrance lobbies need to be large enough to allow free circulation of wheelchairs and pushchairs. Corridors need a clear width of at least 1500mm, and at least 1800mm on major circulation routes. Lifts should have a minimum 1800mm of unobstructed space in front of doors for manoeuvring and turning. Circulation spaces at least 1800mm wide are not only more accessible but have other benefits such as: adding to the amenity and saleability of a project; allowing furniture to be moved in and out of a building with greater ease; and allowing ease of access for emergency crews. Handles Lever door handles and taps are preferable to knob varieties. Door handles should be about 1000mm above ground level, horizontally aligned with light switches. No one is disadvantaged by levers. People with reduced hand strength and function find them easier to operate than knobs. Aligning light switches makes these easier to locate. Stairs/Steps/Ramps Steps should be avoided where possible. If they are necessary, a ramp or other alternative access needs to be provided directly beside the steps. Steps are not only a tripping hazard, but a barrier to accessibility that can often be avoided through good design. Ramps and steps need handrails on both sides and tactile and visual cues such as colour contrasted nosing. Ramps with a 1 in 14 gradient or shallower are desirable. Handrails on only one side disadvantage people who have the use of only one arm or have a one-sided weakness. Steps are an injury hazard if their nosing is not strongly contrasted with the tread. All stairs, steps and ramps should be well lit, with light thrown towards and not down the steps, thus preventing shadows. The rise and edge of steps can be difficult to see and are a potential trip hazard unless clearly visible. Counters Reception counters require at least one area set at a height accessible by a wheelchair user. Two-height provision at counters and facilities like drinking fountains accommodates children and shorter people, as well as wheelchair users. Toilets Accessible toilet facilities should be provided as the preferred option for all toilets. Facilities should be well signed with directional as well as locational signage. No one is denied access to a unisex accessible toilet facility. They are especially popular with parents of small children. Handbasins and urinals should be provided at varying heights. Two-height provision accommodates children and shorter people, as well as wheelchair users. This public bathroom recognises our range of heights by providing a lower basin. Many of these best practice examples are equally applicable in the home. Incorporating universal design principles into residential buildings enables people to stay in their homes, despite changes in circumstances, such as decreased mobility, or an elderly relative moving in. Integrating universal design principles at the design stage enables the dwelling to be 'future proofed' so it can be adapted at any later stage by the occupant to meet their changed needs. This applies equally to apartment buildings and single family suburban homes. The common sense nature of universal design for homes also has the advantage of making a house more desirable for the market place through increasing general useability and spaciousness. These are some of the key features that should be incorporated at the design stage to ensure a dwelling is able to be adapted into an accessible dwelling:
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