Global Universal Design Educators
Monthly Online News
Produced monthly by Elaine Ostroff in cooperation with
the Adaptive Environments Center, Boston, MA., USA
Volume 1, Number 9, SEPTEMBER 1999
Contents
EDITOR'S NOTE
This issue highlights work in developing countries. We learn of a new center in Brazil, and their work in urban design. The United Nations is continuing its capacity building efforts through a seminar and a workshop in Beirut, Lebanon. Building on the guidelines and the local process for reconstructing the central district of Beirut, the sessions will focus on strategies appropriate to the region.
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 as well as this issue of the Online News are available online at the Adaptive Environments website at http://www.adaptenv.org in the Universal Design section.
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NEWS FROM THE GLOBAL NETWORK
BRAZIL
Regina Cohen - architect coordinator, Research Center on Accessibility and Universal Design, School of Architecture and Urbanism - Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, introduces her master's dissertation and a new research center at the university. Her thesis topic is "Accessibility, Identity and Urban Everyday Life of Persons with Mobility Difficulties". She notes that, "Rio's Mayor, Luiz Paulo Conde, who is an architect himself, was a member of the examination board. My intention was to make the municipality aware of Universal Design and for all issues regarding our new group. In one of the chapters of my dissertation I made a reflection about the accessibility and universal design related to the Brazilian reality. In our country, the disability leads us to social questions. Brazil is regarded by many as a "developing country" and according to the Rehabilitation International the third world disabled are ‘people to whom life conditions are: poverty, misery, hunger, ignorance and lack of perspective’...In 1995, I was enrolled in my Master Course in Urbanism, besides assisting architects, government organs, students of architecture and the population in general about accessibility.
Nowadays, with the supports of the president of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, the director of its School of Architecture and Urbanism and the coordinator of the Graduate Program in Architecture (Prof. Dr. Vicente del Rio), I'm coordinating the creation of the Pro-Access Group. Because this research center seeks the betterment of the quality of life for all people and because its universality, our results and recommendations will contribute toward a change of mentality in Brazilian society. I'm also encouraging the architecture students for the design competition to be held during the June 2000 International conference on universal design". Regina Cohen can be contacted at recohen@marlin.com.br. (thanks to Larry Trachtman)
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JAPAN
Chika Sekine, President of UDIT, (Universal Design Institute for Information Technology) reports briefly on the Japanese developments in information technology and universal design. MPT, (Ministry of Postal and Telecommunication, like FCC in the US) gave a declaration about Web Accessibility Guideline in May. It was the first formal guideline made by government about web access. She was one of the main members of this committee. Her work includes several projects funded by government and her company, UDIT is almost the only one that develops accessible web in Japan. She is also a member of the Accessibility Committee on Information Technology of MITI (Ministry of International Trade and Industry). The DOIT website is http://www.udit-jp.com. Sekine’s e-mail is csekine@udit-jp.com.
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LEBANON
Workshop and Seminar on Environmental Accessibility; issues in planning and design of accessible urban development Beirut, 29 November to 3 December 1999
The Social Development Issues and Policies Division of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, in co-operation with the Division for Social Policy and Development of the United Nations Secretariat, will organise two events, a Workshop and Seminar on "Environmental accessibility - issues in planning and design of accessible urban development" from 29 November to 3 December 1999 at Beirut.
Purpose
The Workshop and Seminar aim to promote greater awareness and support for comprehensive
approaches to environmental accessibility, with emphasis on norms, standards, concepts,
approaches and methods appropriate to developing countries. The Seminar will provide a
forum to exchange knowledge and experience and to identify leading issues and trends in
environmental accessibility. The Workshop will focus on building national capacities for
accessible urban development - initially among interested countries in Western Asia. Both
activities are expected to promote increased networking among interested communities at
all levels, and their results will contribute to the global body of knowledge on
integrated approaches to environmental accessibility.
Scope and objectives of the Seminar (Beirut, 30 November - 3 December 1999) The Seminar will provide a forum for presentations and discussions of concepts, methods and applications of accessibility policies, plans and standards in countries. Presentations will include case studies of selected "best practices" in environmental accessibility from various regions of the world. Studies on selected issues in policy formulation, planning and evaluation of environmental accessibility also will be available to the Seminar. The exchanges are expected to enrich the global body of knowledge and contribute to establishment of an international network of organisations and institutions concerned with universal design and environmental accessibility.
Seminar programme
The Seminar will be in three parts: (1) overview of issues and trends in environmental
accessibility; (2) presentations of selected experiences in promoting barrier-free
environments, concentrating on the experience of a city, community or an urban development
project from all regions of the world; and (3) approaches to capacity building and
institutional development for environmental accessibility in countries. It is envisaged
that presentations also will include legal frameworks for accessibility, role of national
disability committees and similar bodies, and trends in accessible transportation and
assistive technologies.
Seminar participant profile
Participation in the Seminar is by invitation and will include individuals with
considerable experience in policy design, planning and development, and evaluation of
environmental accessibility in countries. The Seminar aims to achieve representative
regional coverage, with emphasis on developing countries, and participation in terms of
disciplinary background and experience in policy processes, planning, design and
evaluation of environmental accessibility in countries.
Scope and objectives of the Workshop (Beirut, 29 November - 3 December 1999) The Workshop aims to assist Governments, the non-governmental community and the private sector better to promote, plan, implement and evaluate inclusive and barrier-free environments. The Workshop will include an introduction to basic issues, concepts and methods of environmental accessibility and will follow a systematic approach to planning and design. The Workshop is organised in parallel with the Seminar to benefit from its rich exchanges of knowledge and experiences and substantive results produced.
Workshop programme
The Workshop programme will include technical training on how to analyse, plan and design
buildings and cities that effectively and efficiently respond to the needs of all groups
of people, persons with disabilities and older persons in particular.
Identification of appropriate standards and their application, role of accessibility legislation, and assessing the needs of different population groups will form a major part of the Workshop. To achieve a focus on the various issues involved, small parallel groups will be formed in working sessions that will each concentrate on a well defined subtopic, for instance technical design standards, legislation, administrative regulations and beneficiary participation.
Workshop participant profile
Participants of the Workshop are expected to come mainly from Western Asia, where needs
are great, and in the light of the Workshop materials to be provided by ESCWA. Workshop
participants will be concerned with environmental accessibility and persons with
disabilities in a broad sense, for instance architects, planners and engineers, especially
professionals working at the municipal level, disability advocates, and representatives of
non-governmental organisations concerned with environmental accessibility.
Background
The Workshop and Seminar will be held at Beirut and will build upon work carried out by
the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) in cooperation
with the Government of Lebanon, Ministry of Social Affairs, the Lebanese National
Committee of Disabled Persons and SOLIDERE, the Lebanese Company for Development and
Reconstruction of the Beirut Central District. This is discussed in Accessibility for the
disabled; a design manual for a barrier-free environment (SOLIDERE, Beirut, 1998).
While there now are a number of technical references on planning and design for accessibility, their focus remains mainly on conditions in developed countries. Promotion of effective approaches to planning and design of environmental accessibility appropriate to conditions in all countries requires global comparative reviews and analyses of norms and standards on accessibility and lessons of their application in countries under different socioeconomic, political and institutional settings. There is in particular a need for comparative work on the institutional aspects of environmental accessibility and on the political economy of universal design. Consequently the focus of the Workshop and Seminar is on issues and trends in environmental accessibility in terms of policy options and strategies, on concepts and methods of planning and programming accessible urban development, and on strategies for institutional development to promote environmental accessibility for all.
For more information on the Workshop and Seminar, please contact:
Division for Social Development Issues and Policies
United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia
Mr. Akil Akil, Chief
P.O. Box 11-8575
Beirut, Lebanon
Facsimile: ++ (961-1) 981 510~12
ESCWA Focal Point for workshop/seminar preparations: Dr. Riadh Tappuni tappuni.escwa@un.org
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UNITED KINGDOM
Two CIB Meetings in Reading, December 1999
Two research groups of the International Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction (CIB) will both hold meetings in Reading, UK in December. The Co-ordinators of both groups, Working group 84 ‘Building Non-Handicapping Environments and the TG19: Designing for the Ageing Society, extend an invitation to new people who may want to learn more about these related but separate working groups.
Working group 84 will hold its meeting on December 16 and 17, 1999, at the University of Reading. In the wide spectrum of international networks concerning building non-handicapping environments, the CIB working group 84 is primarily focusing on research in the field improving the relation between man and environment. The working group wishes to investigate the need for specific research topics and to disseminate interesting and innovative research output. The working group has been silent for a while but wishes to make a new start by means of the December meeting. Your attendance would be very much appreciated.
The costs of the meeting will be 55 English Pounds. Local hotels will charge about 70 Pounds per night. For further information please contact one of the co-ordinators of W84:
Mr Keith Bright
Department of Construction Management & Engineering
University of Reading, UK
E-mail: k.t.bright@reading.ac.uk
Professor Maarten Wijk
Faculty of Architecture
Delft University of Technology
E-mail: m.wijk@bk.tudelft.nl
Information about the meeting can also be found at: http://www.rdg.ac.uk/AcaDepts/kc/nhe/W84.html
Satoshi Kose, Director of TG19: Designing for the Ageing Society has scheduled their meeting for December 17 and 18, immediately following the close of the W84 meeting. He notes that, "You are all invited to attend both meetings. It may be possible that some attendees have research interests extending into both groups. The joint scheduling will make it easier for any co-ordination". It is my sincere hope that CIB/TG19 colleagues attend the W84 meeting, and then discuss among ourselves to search for ways to go forward to realise the goal of our TG. As time is growing short, interested people are urged to contact Dr. Kose as soon as possible. The costs are similar to those noted with the W84 meeting.
For more information: Satoshi Kose, Dr.
Director, Housing & Building Economy Department
Building Research Institute, Tatehara, Tsukuba 305-0802 Japan
e-mail: skose@kenken.go.jp
http://www.kenken.go.jp/5bu/skose/TG19.html
http://www.kenken.go.jp/universal/7UDP.pdf
(Sorry, this is in Japanese)
Information about the CIB can be found at the CIB Home page: http://www.cibworld.nl
Royal Society of Art, Student Design Awards 1999/2000
New Design for Old
Call for entries for this project from colleges within the European Union. Choose one of two briefs:
-
Design a product of any kind which recognises the full brief and aims to raise the spirits of an older person, bringing pleasure and enhancing life in no matter how small a way. or,
-
Design a product which understands the needs of the frail or infirm older person and would also enable them to live independently in their own home or be better cared for at home by family, friends or professional carers.
Entries should be submitted to the RSA in London by Thursday 18 November 1999. Please contact RSA Design for full details of entry eligibility: 44 (0)171 930 5115 : Fax : 00 44 (0)171 839 5805 or e-mail: debbie@rsa-design.demon.co.uk.
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UNITED STATES
The International Furnishings and Design Association (IDFA)
UNIVERSAL DESIGN GRANT
This in from Irma Dobkin, board member of IDFA. For the second time, IFDA is offering a $2,500 grant to individuals or organizations for projects with a focus on Universal Design. The application date is October 15th. The following is an excerpt from their website at http://www.ifda.com.
Universal Design Grant
Universal Design is an evolving discipline by which to create solutions design spaces, and
develop products that suit the needs of all users throughout their lifecycle. The ability
to design spaces that can he used by all people -- children, the able and people with
disabilities, and the aging -- is essential for success in today's marketplace.
Recognizing the increasing importance of universal design in improving the quality of life
for all and realizing the necessity to further the understanding of universal design by
the community at large, the Board of Trustees of the IFDA Educational Foundation has
established the Universal Design Grant.
Believing that industry and design professionals long needed the support of their professional associates with this approach to design, the IFDA Educational Foundation assists individuals working to develop universal design principles through its Universal Design Grant annual awards. Underwritten with an initial endowment in 1995 by the Washington Chapter of IFDA, the Universal Design Grant is awarded to an individual working independently and involved with universal design in one of the following areas:
-
Product Development
-
Design Project
-
Education
-
Marketing
Application Deadline: October 1
(NOTE: contact them to confirm the actual date, October 1 or October 15, 1999). For more
information or to request grant or scholarship applications please contact:
IFDA Educational Foundation
1200 19th Street NW Suite #300
Washington, DC 20036-2422
Universal Kitchen Design Workshop on Brookline, MA
The National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) announces a one day intensive workshop led by Mary Jo Peterson. The brochure invites participants to, "Learn to design for all life stages from one of the industry’s leading authority on universal design. Not every client has the same needs when it comes to designing their kitchen. One may be tall, another may have limited mobility and yet someone else may have children who enjoy working in the kitchen, too! Now, NKBA offers you the chance to master design techniques and discover products that make kitchens suitable for all of your clients…no matter what their lifestyle is!"
The one-day course includes: The changing needs of people who are aging and have physical limitations; Survey techniques to use for clients with varying needs; How to properly measure for a universally designed kitchen; How to evaluate universal products; Applicable building codes and regulations; and Marketing techniques.
Instructor:
Mary Jo Peterson, CKD, CBD
NKBA Teaching Professional
Date: November 15, 1999
Location: Brookline Holiday Inn
1200 Beacon Street
Brookline, Mass. 02146
(617) 277-1200
For more information, call NKBA
Customer Service at (800) 843-6522,
fax at (908) 852-1695 or e-mail: educate@nkba.org
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DESIGNING FOR THE 21st CENTURY II
An International Conference on Universal
Design
June 14-18, 2000.
Submissions are now closed; we have an excellent collection of proposals from all over the world. The reviewers are now screening proposals and people will be notified by November 1, 1999 about the status of their submission.
Keynoters include Adolf Ratzka of the Institute on Independent Living, Sweden and Yoshi Kawauchi of Japan who will address Universal Design and Independent Living. Roger Coleman of DesignAge of the UK and Natascha Drabbe of Cultural Connections, the Netherlands will illustrate the connections between Universal and Sustainable Design. Watch the website for new information including more details on other invited speakers, their topics. See photographs of Providence, Rhode Island, our beautiful and welcoming conference city.
Student Design Competition
"Creating Legible Environments" is the theme of the Student Design Competition held in conjunction with the 21st Century conference.
Application forms are available online at http://www.adaptenv.org/21century/ or e-mail Mike at mdilorenzo@adaptenv.org. Submission deadline is February 1, 2000.
International jurors include:
USA:
Mitchell Ackerman, Head, Industrial Design; Jane Langmuir, Coordinator, Universal Kitchen
and Adjunct Faculty, Interior Architecture, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI;
Stephanie Bothwell, ASLA, Director, Center for Livable Communities, American Institute of
Architects, Washington, DC; Jan Carpman, Ph.D., Carpman Grant Associates, Ann Arbor, MI;
Meredith Davis, Director of Graduate Program in Graphic Design, North Carolina State
University, Raleigh, NC; Edward Steinfeld, AIA, Professor Architecture, State University
of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY.
Japan:
Satoshi Kose, Director of Housing and Building Economy Department, Building Research
Institute, Ministry of Construction, Tatehara, Tsukuba; Yoshisuke Miyake, JSLA, President,
Sen, Inc., Osaka.
Netherlands:
Natascha Drabbem Cultural Connections, Utrecht (invited).
South America:
Marcelo Guimares, Director, ADAPTSE Lab, Belo Horizonte, MG
Currently enrolled students from any college or university worldwide are welcome. The application requires a team submission, with a minimum of two design disciplines. In addition, the participation of other related disciplines is recommended. If you are a design advocate, we encourage your promotion of this design opportunity; bring it to the attention of faculty in design schools. The application suggests the involvement of users in the early stages as well as in review of the proposed solutions.
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GLOBAL UNIVERSAL DESIGN EDUCATORS E-MAIL LIST
This is distinct from the newsletter that you are now receiving. This is an automated electronic list. We invite you to subscribe if you want additional, more frequent dialogue with other educators, designers, students and advocates. To subscribe, send a message to: guden@adaptenv.org
Leave the subject blank. In the body of the message, write ‘subscribe. This must be from your computer.
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CALENDAR
September 30 - October 2, 1999
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Universal Design In The City Beyond 2000
For more information, contact: pparch@cc.umanitoba.ca.
October 10 - 13 October 1999
Third International Conference of Gerontechnology:
‘Ageing and Technology, Starting into the Third Millenium’
Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
For more information and abstract forms: http://www.uni-bamberg.de/~ba6us1/g99-1.htm.
October 27 -29, 1999
Designing for Usability, Flexibility, and Compliance -
Part Two
Trace Center, Madison, Wisconsin
For information, contact vanderk@trace.wisc.edu
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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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