Produced monthly by Elaine Ostroff in cooperation with
the Adaptive Environments Center, Boston, MA., USA

Volume 2, Number 5, MAY 2000

Contents

• Editor's Note
• News from the Global Network
• Japan
• Human Centered Design
• Sweden
• Institute on Independent Living
• United States
• AIA Diversity Conference
• Visitability Update from Concrete Change
• Visitability and HUD/HOPE VI
• Wayfinding Research
• Designing for the 21^st Century II, An International Conference on Universal Design June 14-18, 2000
• Global Universal Design Educator's Network e-mail list
• Calendar
• Adding your information, questions to the Online News

EDITOR'S NOTE

In this issue we are pleased to introduce a new project from Japan, the Human Centered Design Project. We include several opportunities for live and/or virtual participation: The Institute for Independent Living in Sweden invites submissions on universal design for publication on their international website; Jan Carpman invites interviews for a new book on Wayfinding; and the AIA Diversity conference invites you to their 5th conference. The Designing for the 21st Century II conference highlights the online Proceedings.

Information from the Monthly Online News may be freely copied and quoted as long as the individual author and this source is cited. Previous issues of the Online News are available online at the Adaptive Environments website at http://www.adaptenv.org/global/.

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NEWS FROM THE GLOBAL NETWORK

JAPAN

HUMAN CENTERED DESIGN PROJECT

Sachiko Uozumi, the Curator of the Human Design Project provides an introduction to the new program based at the Life Design Center,Setagaya Community Foundation,Tokyo, Japan. The intent of the project is very broad: "Universal Life & Society Design Creation - Total redesign of our lives, our communities, and our environment."

"Human Centered Design" has the objective of probing promising new approaches to society, production, and design. Resting on the principles of respect for individual diversity and ability, "Human Centered Design" aspires to accessibility for all. It is 21st century design inclined toward social de-industrialization and consumer oriented economies in contrast to the industrial and supply economy propensity of the past. It constitutes a total development of environmental foundations and terminals that puts humanity at the core of an information and welfare oriented society.

We are seeing the rise of a trend toward design that goes beyond mere ease of use and beauty. This trend is exemplified by "Universal Design / Barrier Free Design" with the people with disabilities and aged persons in mind, and "Eco Design" for contribution to the environment. "Human Interface Design" with a view to positive synergy between man and machine, and "Sociosystem Design" for optimization of community arrangements, may also be counted as part of this movement. Such design concepts were developed by going back to the basics of our existence. "Human Centered Design" must not be confined to its immediate objects but also help us to re-orient our lifestyle and thought as well as the setup and values of society. Human Centered Design Project's core planning committee was established in July 23rd, 1999.

Activities in the Human Centered Design Project in 2000:

• Human Centered Design Symposium, Vol.1
  "Design Paradigm of 21st Century - LIFE", January 27th, 2000, Public Theater at Life Design Center
• Seminar: "What is Universal Design?" at Life Design Center, July 30, 1999
• Human Centered Design (HCD) monthly study group at Life Design Center
• Series of seminars, lectures and workshops at Life Design Center.
• Human Centered Design Symposium, Vol.2
  Public Theater at Life Design Center
• Human Centered Design Project home page establishment
• Human Centered Design Exhibition

Setagaya Community Foundation
Organized in November 1996, Setagaya Community Foundation was founded to govern the Center, which consists of the Public Theater and the Life Design Center. The Public Theater produces and presents performing arts, especially contemporary drama and dance by both national and international artists, while the Life Design Center works as a communication center for the community members. Such a unique structure is aimed at bringing about a place where an organic relationship between performing arts and life of the community can be fostered.

* HCD related performance:
CandoCo Dance Company performance at the Public Theater. Performance by dancers both with and without wheelchairs. October 1999

Life Design Center
The main purpose of the Life Design Center is to encourage community members through various workshops, seminars, exhibitions and cooperative projects with non-profit organizations.

Facilities:

• Gallery Space
• Seminar Room
• Workshop with kitchen

* HCD related activity :
The Life Design Project #1
The production of ideal clothes " Creating new clothes with the aspect of medical effect that are comfortable, pretty & good for all ages ".

For more information, contact (in English / Japanese):
Human Centered Design Project (New York Base)
Sachiko Uozumi uozumi@ix.netcom.com

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SWEDEN

INSTITUTE ON INDEPENDENT LIVING TO PUBLISH

Adolf D. Ratzka, Ph.D., Director, Institute on Independent Living, extends an invitation to individuals and organizations involved in universal design to publish their materials online in their extensive library. He writes in a recent newsletter:

"Access to the built environment, to information, culture and to all aspects of our communities is a basic human right. Access allows us to contribute to society's diversity. Access enriches everyone. The best way of ensuring access is through Universal Design, that is, planning, building and maintaining our environment for the needs of all citizens, thus making them feel welcome as integral parts of the whole and encouraging them to participate in all of society on equal terms.

Universal Design minimizes the dependency of people with disability on others - a dependency that is not inherent in the nature of their disability but imposed on them by the cumulative countless actions and omissions of generations of policymakers, planners, builders and designers. Universal Design is a prerequisite for Independent Living, for living in the community with equal opportunities, self-determination and self-respect.

The Institute on Independent Living is committed to compiling a collection of key documents on Universal Design as part of its full-text online library. Below, we draw your attention to resources which you might find useful in your work. But we also need to ask you for your help. Please, assist us with your expertise in this area and tell us which documents would improve the usefulness of our collection.

Under the sub-heading "Universal Design" in our on-line Library, you'll find hundreds of texts on Accessibility Resources, Country Profiles, Economics of Access, Guidelines, Housing, Legislation, and Transportation.

Here is an example:

Mobility for All: www.independentliving.org/Mobility/index.html

While access for people with disabilities is poor in most industrialized countries, it is even worse in developing countries. This publication presents simple and cost-effective design solutions for our public transport and access needs around the world: busses, cabs, bus stops, streets and pathways including a list of organizations and resources for accessible transportation.

The Institute is proud to be the only website granted permission to re-print this publication. The Spanish translation is forthcoming.

We publish texts about your organization, its mission and activities, achievements, needs and plans in our full-text virtual Library. To have something published on our site, free of charge, contact www.independentliving.org/Publish.html.

To view this comprehensive website see: www.independentliving.org/

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UNITED STATES

AIA ANNOUNCES 5th DIVERSITY CONFERENCE

The AIA Diversity Conference 2000 will be held in Chicago, August 4-6, 2000. Ann Thompson, Staff Director of the AIA Diversity Program announces the conference - D2K: Connecting the Dots represents a culmination of 5 years of AIA sponsored conferences, spanning the country geographically and meeting in Chicago in 2000 to 'connect the dots'. Chicago represents the crossroads of many map-dots; it offers a dynamic cultural mix and a thriving profession of architecture in a city that loves its buildings.

The conference focuses on management and leadership, workplace and workforce issues, education and design. The full program can be downloaded from the AIA website: www.e-architect.com/pia/diversity. For more information contact Ann Thompson at 202-626-7305 (tel) or 202-626-7399 (fax).

WAYFINDING CHALLENGES IN EVERYDAY ENVIRONMENTS

Jan Carpman and Myron Grant, Carpman Grant Associates, Wayfinding Consultants, Ann Arbor, MI, and authors of the book "Design that Cares: Planning Health Facilities for Patients and Visitors," (2nd edition, American Hospital Press, 1993) are in the process of writing a new popular press book about wayfinding. The purpose of this book is to teach people skills (like reading signs and maps) for finding their way around everyday confusing places like health facilities, convention centers, shopping malls, and airports.

One of the skills covered in the book is coping with wayfinding challenges. Jan would like to arrange phone interviews or e-mail correspondence with people who have cognitive-, vision-, hearing, and/or mobility-impairments in order to learn about their wayfinding challenges in a wide variety of environments. Interviews topics will include positive and negative wayfinding experiences in confusing places, the use of various technologies to aid wayfinding, and suggestions for making wayfinding less stressful.

She can be reached at jcarpman@wayfinding.com or at (1-734) 482-7898. Jan will also be at designing for the 21st Century II conference in Providence, where she will be one of the jurors in the Student Design Competition: Creating Legible Environments. On June 15, she will participate in the Program Exchange and hopes to interview people at the conference.

VISITABILITY: CONCRETE CHANGE UPDATE

Eleanor Smith of Concrete Change announces the recent Georgia law on visitability. She says in a recent e-mail:

We're glad to let you know that Georgia recently passed a state law requiring basic access in certain private, single-family homes. Especially encouraging is the way this happened, through a circle of mutual help:

• 1992, Atlanta GA advocates achieve City Ordinance
• 1998, Austin TX advocates achieve similar Ordinance
• 1999, Texas advocates expand the Austin Ordinance into statewide law
• 2000, Georgia advocates replicate Texas law!

To see a copy of the law, go to concretechange.home.mindspring.com

VISITABILITY AT HUD AND HOPE VI

The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) "Strategies for Providing Accessibility & Visitability for HOPE VI and Mixed Finance Homeownership," were presented at a recent conference in Baltimore, Maryland. Julie Overton, Program Manager, National Resource Center on Supportive Housing and Home Modification reported that she and Project Director Jon Pynoos attended the HUD Elderly Housing Conference that introduced the new accessibility design options in this federally financed housing program. She notes, "Three options for the design of traditional, urban, and accessible housing are illustrated in a report referenced below. New housing built with HUD's HOPE VI program is to incorporate universal design and visitability. While the requirement is not mandatory, it is refreshing to see HUD's willingness to acknowledge this important area in their new housing projects".

From the HUD USER website, the introduction to the publication explains: Today, many for-sale and rental units that are fully accessible to people with mobility disabilities or sight or hearing impairments are being built by public housing authorities and their development partners. But for communities to be truly inclusive, we must also work toward a modest--but universal--standard of access. To help reach that goal, HUD encourages HOPE VI grantees to ensure that as many units as possible have doorways and bathrooms which are "visitable" for people with disabilities.

HUD has worked with architects and advocates to develop design strategies that are both attractive and functional for families at any stage or condition of life. In this publication, you will see design features that are inexpensive and unobtrusive--in fact, many exist unnoticed inside a wall or in the design of a closet until the day when the reinforcement for a grab bar or the space for an elevator is needed.

Housing that is accessible, attractive, affordable, and which welcomes disabled and aging Americans is an integral part of the healthy, sustainable communities that HUD is working to create HOPE VI and other developments throughout the country.

HUD's HOPE VI program transforms public housing projects into mixed-income, diverse, and stable neighborhoods in order to attract middle-income persons to developments that include a wide range of incomes and housing types. The most successful HOPE VI neighborhoods are new developments that resemble stable, established, and admired traditional city neighborhoods. However, most traditional neighborhoods consist largely of two-story houses with raised front porches, which are barriers to people with mobility impairments.

The architectural firm, Urban Design Associates, in conjunction with accessibility advocates, architects, developers, and HUD officials, met the challenge of creating innovative accessibility designs. These designs-presented in Strategies for Providing Accessibility & Visitability for HOPE VI and Mixed Finance Homeownership-typify the best qualities of traditional houses through a physical form that can expand the inventory of accessible homeownership opportunities and provide visitability for as many homes as possible. Three options for the design of traditional, urban, and accessible housing are illustrated in Strategies: the single-story house; condominiums/co-ops featuring first floor-accessible flats; and elevators or lifts installed in two-story homes.

Another important accessibility concept for HOPE VI housing is visitability. Visitability does not offer a completely accessible house, but rather the opportunity for a disabled person to visit the home of a friend without having to be lifted up stairs, to enjoy a meal and be able to use the first floor bathroom or powder room. HUD encourages the visitability design in as many HOPE VI houses as possible.

These options for accessibility and visitability are illustrated with color drawings, floor plans, and pictures from HOPE VI neighborhoods that have implemented these designs.

For more information on Strategies for Providing Accessibility and Visitability for HOPE VI and Mixed Finance Homeownership, or to obtain a copy, visit the HUD USER web site at: www.huduser.org/publications/pubasst/strategies.html.

Ed. Note: the 16 page full color booklet can be downloaded as a PDF file or the print version can be ordered at no cost, on the website.

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DESIGNING FOR THE 21^st CENTURY II
An International Conference on Universal Design

The Conference Proceedings are now online at: www.adaptenv.org/21century/proceedings.asp. The Proceedings represent presenters from 12 countries and about a third of the sessions at the conference. After the conference, they will become a permanent part of the Adaptive Environments website, along with transcripts of the plenary speakers and reports from the working groups.

Updates with additions and changes are online with the full program announcement on the conference website at www.adaptenv.org/21century/. Registration can be completed online at the website as well as by mail and fax. After June 7, registration is only available on site. Contact 21stcentury@adaptenv.org in advance to confirm available space.

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There is a problem with the electronic mail list. It is temporarily unavailable. We will advise on the status in the next issue.

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CALENDAR

May 10-14, 2000
Building Bridges: Connecting People, Research and Design
edra 31 will be held at the Cathedral Hills Hotel in San Francisco, California.
The conference organizers invite the participation of design educators and professionals, planners, social scientists, and others interested in the relationship of people and places and the design and management of places that are responsive to human needs.
See: http://www.telepath.com/edra/home.html

June 2-4, 2000
United Kingdom Institute for Inclusive Design, London, England
This will include the Annual General Meeting of the European Institute on Design and Disability.
Contact info: Andrew Walker at andrew@cottage.sonnet.co.uk

June 6-7, 2000
Mobile Communications, Encouraging Developments for persons with Disabilities and Elderly People Worldwide
A Rehabilitation International Seminar in Potsdam, Germany.
Web site: www.dvfr.de
Contact: info@dvfr.de

June 14 - 18, 2000
Designing for the 21st Century II, An International Conference on Universal Design
Providence, Rhode Island, USA
Contact info:
E-mail: 21stcentury@adaptenv.org
Web site: www.adaptenv.org/21century

June 28 - July 2, 2000
RESNA 2000 Annual Conference, Technology for the New Millennium
RESNA 2000 brings together people who use, develop, manufacture, and deliver these technologies.
Omni Rosen Hotel, Orlando, Florida
See: www.resna.org/resna/resna2k/index.html

July 12 - 15, 2000
AHEAD - "Y2KC: Universal Designs in Higher Education"
Join AHEAD in the New Millennium in Kansas City, Missouri, the Heart of America!
See: www.ahead.org/conf2000.htm

August 4-6, 2000
AIA Diversity Conference, D2K: Connecting the Dots
Chicago, Illinois, USA
For more information contact Ann Thompson at 202-626-7305 (tel) or 202-626-7399 (fax).
Web site: http://www.e-architect.com/pia/diversity

November 8-22, 2000
World Congress on Environmental Design for the New Millennium
Seoul, Korea
This committee aims to collect world wisdom and creativity to shape our built environment for the next Millennium.
See: www.millenniumED.org

June 1-5, 2001
Inclusion by Design - Planning the Barrier-Free World in Montréal, Canada (Palais des Congrès de Montréal)
The Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and Work is hosting an international world congress. Submissions Due April 5, 2000.
Web site: http://www.ccrw.org
E-mail: ktoupin@ccrw.org

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Adding your information, questions to the Online News: 

Send e-mail to elaine@ostroff.org by the 20th of each month for the next month's mailing. Articles should be limited to 600 words. If the issue is too full to include, and the timeliness of the article allows it, we may hold the item until the following month.

Elaine Ostroff, Founding Director, Adaptive Environments Center, Editor.

374 Congress Street, Suite 301
Boston, MA 02210
Tel 617 695 1225 x30
Fax 617 482 8099

elaine@ostroff.org
http://www.adaptenv.org/21century/

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