Week Seven: ADA
ADA. What does this mean to you? It is clearly an acronym, but what does it stand for? This is a personal topic for me, one that I hold at a high importance. So, let's dive in.
A brief history of ADA will give clarity to the phrase. ADA stands for the Americans with Disabilities Act. The initial act was passed in 1990 as a way to protect "individuals with disabilities" from being discriminated against in many areas of life, such as jobs, schools, and transportation. ADA applies specifically to design in accommodations and adaptations made to built environments to allow equal access for all people.
The act also sets standards for general accommodations to public buildings and businesses. These buildings must make necessary alterations to accommodate individuals with disabilities, such as the addition of a ramp to accommodate individuals in a wheelchair. The act also requires that business must make "reasonable modifications to their usual way of doing things."
ADA is a vital piece of an effective design. Our designs should account for the the widest range of people so that no one is overlooked or left out because of a disability. Think about someone you know who has a disability, such as being wheelchair bound, blind, or deaf. What if that person went into a restaurant and was unable to eat with you because no one considered the disability in the design. They would feel less than human, maybe even less than you. We would not want our friend or relative to feel this way, so why would we want a stranger to feel this way. As a designer, I hope to make all people feel welcome and accounted for in my designs. In an effort to do this, following the outlines of ADA is a great place to start!
What is ADA?
The act also sets standards for general accommodations to public buildings and businesses. These buildings must make necessary alterations to accommodate individuals with disabilities, such as the addition of a ramp to accommodate individuals in a wheelchair. The act also requires that business must make "reasonable modifications to their usual way of doing things."
What is ADA important in design?
This topic is particularly important to me because I have seen, first hand, how an environment can dictate the actions of a person with disabilities. My grandmother was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis 11 years ago. A few years into the disease, she developed an inability to walk, forcing her into a wheelchair. This wheelchair then dictated what she was able to do in a space. If the doors to a restroom where not wide enough, she could not use the restroom. If a restaurant did not have ground level seating, she could not eat at that restaurant. My grandmother has experienced both of these scenarios, meaning that, because of her disability, she was not granted equal access to a bathroom and restaurant.
So what would happen if, as designers, we ignored the pillars of ADA? It is simple, our designs would fall short in meeting the needs of all people, not dependent on ability. It is crucial to built environments that the designs account for the needs of all people. This not only accounts for ADA compliance, but also for Universal Design.
What does ADA look like in everyday design?
We encounter ADA designs everyday. You have more than likely been in a restroom where grab bars are located on either side of the toilet or are constructed around the toilet. This picture was taken in the bathroom at a University, showing an after-the-fact adaptation that was made to an existing built environment to account for ADA regulations. These bars blend in with other elements in the bathroom's design so that the people's disabilities are not called to attention more than necessary.
ADA is also applicable in residential design. A year before my grandmother was diagnosed with MS, my grandparents built a home. Because my grandparents were nearing 65 at the time, they decided to build an ADA compliant home. The doors are wide enough for a wheelchair to get through, a wheelchair could be rolled into the shower, the bathrooms have grab bars around the toilet, her bed is low to the ground, and the whole home is one level. All of these accommodations became absolutely necessary when she became wheelchair bound a few years later. Without these accommodations, she would not have been able to stay in her home for as long as possible.
ADA is a vital piece of an effective design. Our designs should account for the the widest range of people so that no one is overlooked or left out because of a disability. Think about someone you know who has a disability, such as being wheelchair bound, blind, or deaf. What if that person went into a restaurant and was unable to eat with you because no one considered the disability in the design. They would feel less than human, maybe even less than you. We would not want our friend or relative to feel this way, so why would we want a stranger to feel this way. As a designer, I hope to make all people feel welcome and accounted for in my designs. In an effort to do this, following the outlines of ADA is a great place to start!
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Hello Hayley! As always, I enjoyed reading your blog post. You have a way of writing that clearly and concisely explains important concepts. I learned a lot about ADA from your post. As you said, it is important for designers to consider the outlines of ADA to create environments that are accessible for everyone. I love that we can help people in this way!
ReplyDeleteI love that your topic of choice was ADA. It's something that we, as designers, must make a top priority. Your blog post was spot on!
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