 |
 |
Dear Disability Research members I am a third year architecture student at the University of Sheffield, and am currently writing a lengthy dissertation. The broad subject area I am investigating - accessibility and inclusion - will explore architects' disability awareness (how architects perceive disabled people, and vice versa), and how attitudes and approaches within the profession perhaps ought to change (referring to successful examples of universally designed buildings, where architects may have liaised throughout the design process with disabled people). Within the social model of disability, the project will explore the profound role which the architect/planner can have in disabling people - ANY people - by creating inaccesible buildings and environments. The assignment's purpose will be to reshape attitudes towards disability among students of architecture; to suggest they are taught more about accessible, universal design; and to simply encourage them to just pause and think about WHY they should design inclusively - before heading straight for building regulations and sizing guides to see HOW it is suggested they do it. (A social emphasis as opposed to a technical one.) I believe young architects NEED to be taught how to accept their responsibilities as potential disablers, instead of placing access problems with building users. I hope that this project will be really worthwhile for EVERYBODY. If any of you are able to provide me with any information, suggestions or comments at all, I would be really grateful. And, if any members feel disabled themselves by the buildings in their environment, would they be willing to complete a short questionnaire about this, as part of this research? (I am hoping to compare architecture students' attitudes towards and awareness of disability, with how disabled people themselves THINK architects perceive disability.) Many thanks and kind regards, Zoe Holland [log in to unmask] %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%