You may have heard the term ‘universal design’ and wondered if it was relevant to your projects. Well, the short answer is yes.
Universal Design is a philosophy that uses principle-based thinking in the design and planning process. It is based on seven recognised principles developed in 1997 by a working group of architects, product designers, engineers and environmental design researchers led by the Centre for Universal Design, North Carolina State University, USA.
The principles were developed to ‘guide the design of environments, products and communications to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialised design’. They include:
- Principle 1: Equitable 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
Universal design aims to create environments that can be used and experienced to the greatest extent possible by all people, regardless of their age, size, or ability. It sounds ambitious, but this approach can be applied to a greater or lesser extent to anything that can be designed, including the built environment, external domain, products, services, information and communication technology, education, transport, events, exhibitions, and programming.
Universal design involves a shift in the way we often think about accessibility. It avoids the idea that barriers must be removed or assistance must be provided to use a product or navigate an environment. It focuses on the user and human diversity from the outset.
Universal design pushes the ‘mainstream’ so that much within a design is ‘standard’ to suit as many people as possible and that the design’s ‘customisation’ is minimised where an ‘exception’ is necessary to suit a particular need. It is an inclusive design approach that benefits everyone, including older people, children, families, people with a disability, people from other cultures, and people unfamiliar with the product or place.
Universal design is not the same as compliance with access regulations. The approach is not prescriptive and doesn’t include technical standards or specifications. Instead, it is a way to move beyond compliance and consider best practice aspirational outcomes within a design, such as inclusion, comfort, awareness, understanding, wellness, safety, comfort and choice.
As with any philosophy, universal design requires reflection and understanding to find practical ways to implement the principles into design. For this reason, it has to be considered in the early stages of the design and planning process so that it becomes part of the strategy. This could be done through workshops with consultants and user groups to discuss key opportunities.
Inclusion is a part of good design and can enhance a person’s well-being and quality of life, providing many social, health and economic benefits for our increasingly diverse communities. Recent changes in government policies and planning are recognising this across many sectors. It encourages developers, architects, designers and builders to be innovative and think creatively about solutions that can better accommodate people’s needs while also making good business sense.
Numerous established Universal Design Centres exist across many countries, including the United States, Japan, the UK, Europe, Norway, and Ireland. Each provides valuable networking, literature, information, ongoing research, education, and other projects related to universal design. Universal design is gaining momentum in Australia as well, and there is talk of establishing an Australian Centre for Universal Design in the not-too-distant future.