Introduction: Conceptual Issues
A. Preamble
When discussing the creation of a barrier-free environment, it has been customary to focus on inadequate legislation, lack of design criteria and the narrow education of planners and architects.
The entire process of planning, building and design has seldom been analysed as a basis for the development of new strategies. Nor has this process been defined as something more than a technical matter.
When physical planning and design, and the provision of infrastructure and public transport are understood as political actions, it is possible to reach the core of the problem. In fact, a positive outcome of environmental planning is a consequence of a range of factors which make a caring society. These include a general acceptance of basic citizens rights, a complex administrative process with many responsible persons and organizations involved, and the conscious daily maintenance of the facility in use.
In formulating strategies for non-handicapping planning and design, the main political and social forces in each society must be taken into consideration, as well as the role of the organizations of users. General attitudes towards persons with disabilities and elderly people, and the level of social integration, are important factors.
B. Built environment: what is included
The physical environment is, both in theory and practice, a continuity of space. Barrier-free design means giving users the possibility to use space in a continuous process - to be able to move around without restriction.
The built environment could be defined as a transformation of the natural environment into a new shape. At the same time, as space is changed physically by human beings, it is normally divided and categorized along new artificial dimensions such as "public", "private" and "functional". The right to use space and the possibility of using space, which is termed accessibility, is restricted, not only by physical barriers, but also by a complex of cultural, social and economic rules.
When discussing a barrier-free society, this basic consideration of space as a continuity is often forgotten or neglected. Evidence of this is found in the manner that legislation for accessibility is introduced in most countries. Normally a step-by-step policy is used. Step-by-step policies always seem to start from administrative, economic or technical divisions of space, such as between "private" and "public" space, housing and public buildings, buildings and street environment, as well as between buildings and transport. The perspective is changed from the point of the user to that of the state, the legislator, the market, or the owner. This way of thinking results in the erection of barriers to full accessibility. Unless those barriers are eliminated, people with disabilities will not be able to participate fully and avail themselves equally of the opportunities that exist in society.
C. The process
The creation of a building or a neighbourhood is always preceded by some kind of planning, design and decision-making. In industrialized societies, this process of planning and decision-making is regulated by legislation and praxis, that is, custom. The process is accomplished by professionals and overseen by authorities. Normally, in theory at least, this process is under democratic control, following laws, codes and standards.
In countries where the administrative structure is weak, the planning and building process is informal and more open to individual wants and means. This occurs even if the central or local Government has adopted legislation, complemented by by-laws and standards.
In reality, the differences among countries are less and the true situation more complex. In most countries, the legal prerequisites for the planning process differ, for example, between urban and rural areas, and between state-owned and private-owned buildings. The planning and decision-making process concerning building may be viewed as an area wherein institutionalized and informal interests struggle for their positions.
D. Control and enforcement
Planning, design and building may be viewed as integral stages in a continuous decision-making process. When the physical environment is created and in use, the production stage changes into one of management and maintenance. Accessibility is dependent on each stage of this development.
Continuity between the different stages of the process is of great importance. A model of that process is presented in Figure 1. According to the model, the design work is based on accessibility criteria which, in turn, are developed from national accessibility legislation.
In the model, building permission has to be obtained from the local building authority before construction may start. The same authority controls the erection of the building to ensure conformity with the permission granted. Enforcement means to give power to the control system, in this case permission control. Enforcement procedures are performed by a municipal authority. Th owner of the building is held responsible if legislation is not fulfilled.
The necessary political control of the activity of the authorities has to be built into a democratic system. The function of all administrative systems is dependent on public control. Public awareness of the rights of citizens is necessary as a complement to formal control systems. In all cases, the clarity and transparency of the rules and of the political decision-making process are prerequisites for public control. Self-help organizations of disabled persons have an important role to play in helping to ensure the function of the legal system.
E. Research, design criteria and guidelines
Good guidelines are necessary tools for the creation of accessible environments. Many existing documents have an uncertain quality and limited scope. An important weakness of most handbooks is that they are restricted to certain disability groups.
In many developing countries, the necessary professional, land and economic resources have not yet been allocated to support research and development work in this field.
An increase in interregional, regional and subregional exchanges of experiences in this field is recommended. Of certain value is the development of research methods applicable to a variety of national and local conditions. Studies of access issues in rural areas are important and remain to be undertaken. Research to obtain feedback from users is also required. In this regard, the experiences of persons with disabilities and their organizations need to be channelled back to planners. Differences in cultural and economic prerequisites must be taken into consideration.
F. Professionalism and education
Physical plans and building designs are produced under a variety of conditions between and within countries. In highly industrialized societies, the processes are formalized; planners, architects and building contractors normally undergo formal training, often on an academic level.
Conventional planning and building decisions are often left to people who have not been trained in or exposed to access issues. In many developing countries in the ESCAP region, the lack of formal education is often compensated by good building traditions and learning-by-doing. In rapidly changing societies, many of these traditions are being broken and replaced by building techniques and methods which are alien to the conditions of local communities.
There is no simple relation between either traditional building and accessibility, or between the general level of education of the persons and organizations in the field and accessibility.
Some traditional rural housing systems lend themselves to improved accessibility since they use materials and construction techniques which are easily adaptable to the individual. The village street in some cultures gives simple access to buildings, or even functions as communal space for many activities.
But the opposite is also common - that traditional buildings are void of accessible entrances, are full of steps, and that the village street is narrow and bumpy. Modern vehicular traffic in old built environments is often an additional source of danger for persons with disabilities and elderly persons.
A generally high level of education of planners, architects and building technicians is no guarantee of accessibility in many countries. Access issues are often neglected in the curriculm, and the responsibility to teach them is left to the individual teacher.
Knowledge about accessibility has to be introduced to the professionals concerned, through different strategies, depending on their level of education and the educational systems that prevail. In the informal sector, the direct influence of disabled people themselves and their organizations is of great importance. When formal building, planning and design education is introduced in developing countries, accessibility issues need to be incorporated. At the established academic level, the incorporation of access issues in the curricula of architects, town planners and engineers may be strengthened through international initiatives and exchanges.
G. The role of users
In much of the ESCAP region, the built environment is so constructed that only a specific type of user can manoeuvre in it with a reasonable degree of convenience and safety. That specific type may be characterized by physical strength and agility and mental alertness. There is marked neglect of the needs of several groups of users. The neglected users include people with disabilities, elderly people, children, expectant and nursing women, as well as persons who may be infirm, temporarily disabled or simply frail. All those users seldom have a voice in decision-making concerning the design, construction, maintenance and renovation of the built environment in ESCAP developing countries.
The role of users of the built environment and their organizations is of critical importance in access promotion. In support of this is the observation that most of the successes in access promotion can be traced to strong national and international organizations of disabled persons. Through information to the general public and by pressure on administration and political forces, attitudes towards people with disabilities have been changed, resulting in greater attention being given to meeting their access needs. Politicians, administrators, urban planners, architects, engineers and builders have a joint responsibility to ensure that all facilities and services in the built environment are equally convenient, safe and usable by diverse groups.
People with disabilities have valuable insights based on their own experiences of negotiating every day the numerous obstacles in the built environment. They should be fully involved at every stage in the planning, building monitoring and evaluation process.
H. Strategies for change: some remarks on the guidelines
Planning and building are not only technical matters, they are also political affairs. Many interests are involved, and the results have an economic impact on all levels of society. They influence the life of the individual, as well as the social structure of the population as a whole.
The basis for accessibility is not primarily dependent on technical issues. Democratic attitudes, the level of social consciousness, and respect for the constitutional rights of all citizens are fundamental prerequisites. Implementation is dependent on the strength of the legislation, the knowledge and skills of the professionals, the vigilance of the authorities involved and the degree to which concerned and knowledgeable citizens may participate in the process of improving accessibility.
Public control is a necessity. Without the strong democratic influence of users and their organizations, the goals of an accessible society will never be reached. Even if strategies for the development of accessible environments vary from country to country, the factors mentioned are fundamental.
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ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMISSION FOR ASIA AND THE PACIFIC
Promotion of Non-Handicapping Physical Environments for Disabled Persons: Guidelines
- Chapter 1 -
UNITED NATIONS
New York, 1995