DESIGNING FOR THE DISABLED

Abstract

Designing for the Disabled which is usually dismissed as Designing for Minorities constitutes over 500 million people around the world. The general notion about architecture as an abstract visual art focussing more about aesthetics or form than about the user or functioning of the building needs to be redressed. While the misconception about Disability requires an immediate demythification from its common belief as a singular form of mobility impairment (i.e wheel chair users). This dissertation brings out a comprehensive study of various design aspects of disability and identifies negative attitude (of the able bodied) towards the physically challenged as the prime factor that translates into physical barriers in all built forms. Disablism in urban design is identifiable in a number of interrelated ways as detailed design elements and access to public buildings are inattentive to the diversity of bodily capabilities. Thus, this dissertation emphasizes the need to talk about handicapping environments rather than handicapped persons as every human being has a right to exist in a normal society. The core of this dissertation is based on deeper perspectives of the specific design needs of diverse disability groups and their design implications. It proposes the implementation of Universal Design principles as a panacea to abolish discrimination in the built environment. The dissertation concludes by establishing a pivotal responsibility of designers to achieve function, autonomy and safety for the users of built environment. But the belief remains that all efforts would be futile if this does not receive community support and an equal participation by our fellow human beings. "LET'S DISCOVER THE ABILITY IN DISABILITY" is the message that this dissertation carries to be realized and propagated.