Dear All
I believe we all have a responsibility to ensure that environments are
inclusive, whoever we are within that process, be it the client,
professional person, environment user, etc. Too often the blame culture
takes over, as evidenced by the article under discussion. I would go one
further on Vins comment about involving local access groups by extending
this such that consultation is with whoever is most appropriate, which will
generally be a local access group, but in places where these don't exist or
where there is a more obvious group to consult (depending on the building
under consideration), then other potential users should be consulted, and an
appropriate fee should be made available by the client for the input of this
expertise.
Rita
Rita A Newton
SURFACE Inclusive Design Research Centre
School of Construction and Property Management
The University of Salford
Salford, UK
M5 4WT
[log in to unmask]
Tel +44 (0) 161 295 4600
http://www.inclusive-design.it
http://www.idgo.ac.uk
-----Original Message-----
From: Accessibuilt list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
Malcolm Crate
Sent: 28 October 2005 09:23
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [ACCESSIBUILT] Building Design Article
Hi All,
Naziaty asks some important questions but I thought I would comment on one.
I don't believe that Building Control Officers or Planners have the powers
to carry the torch of accessibility and we know that many Access Officers
(like me) are Building Control Officers with the designation given to them
as a small part of their job. This means that their role is constantly
blurred by the tensions caused by wanting to encourage best practice while
only being able to enforce minimum standards.
However I strongly believe , what I think was discussed by Rob Imrie in one
of his many papers on the subject: that Local Authorities should provide the
context and resources to enable accessible environments to be created.
Therefore I believe that it should be the responsibility for every LA to
employ a proffessional full time Access Officer to act as a link between
Developer/designer , the statutory authority providing consents and
importantly local Access Groups. This would place the Access Champion
(Access Officer) in an independent and perhaps more objective position. Best
wishes Malcolm Crate Access, Building Standards and Housing Grants Manager
Department for Sustainable Communities Comhairle nan Eilean Siar 01851709325
-----Original Message-----
From: Naziaty Mohd Yaacob [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 28 October 2005 00:17
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [ACCESSIBUILT] Building Design Article
Thanks for bringing up the issue. I would like to
add/ask the following;
I think if one could imagine an Access Champion taking
the 'torch of accessibility/inclusive design' and
carrying it throughout the whole
design/construction/management process from inception
to post occupancy, one could also see many people
(with different designation) changing hands and taking
hold of that role of an Access Champion.
How does one see to it that implementation is being
carried out and sustained to completion? Does the
Access Strategy translate directly to the Access
Statement / Design Statement and then straight to
Detailed Design?
Is the DDA being left to interpretations by the term 'reasonable
adjustments', where decisions could be made to accomodate all sorts of
views, including the "design signature" of an architect?
Does the answer lie within the planning and building
control function? Should there be an Access Officer in
every planning and building department in all local
councils to coordinate with the Access Consultant and
Access Groups (Advisory Group), and to make sure the
'torch of accessibility/inclusive design' is carried
throughout the process. Are there any other ways?
Perhaps, that would settle the 'building' part of the
process but what about the 'management and services'
part, where the service provider takes over?
I suppose if we get it right in the first place with
the building part of the process, a big percentage of
accessibility/inclusive design is being achieved.
But in the case of historic buildings, it may not be
as straight-forward as that, as so many times it is
being stated that the DDA does not over-ride the
conservation legislation, that refers to PPG 15.
It looks like the natural Access Champion is the
Architect. But I have asked one architect in an
interview and he stated that, "Architects have to
champion many things..."
Perhaps, architects may be waiting for a "Social
Architecture" revival (that emerged in the 60s), but I
think it is here already, with the expectation of
using user groups in the design process. I think there
may be a reluctance to accept this way of designing. I
may be wrong, but...
Hope this adds to the forum.
From:
Naziaty Yaacob (Ms)
PhD Candidate - Topic on "Accessibility to Historic
Buildings"
SURFACE Inclusive Design Research Centre
The University of Salford
SCPM Maxwell Building
Salford M5 4WT
Tel: 0161 295 5279
Mobile: 07734881287
Email:[log in to unmask]
Web:www.inclusive-design.it
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