Accessibility refers to the ability of people of all ages and abilities to comfortably navigate public and private spaces. Formalized by the federal government as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), accessibility principles underpin regulations that call for accessible elements such as wheelchair ramps, curb cuts, buttons, and more. Accessibility planning centers the experience of people with disabilities in designing public spaces, buildings, and transit facilities.
All Accessibility Courses
Getting There
Getting There was produced by planners in New Hampshire to inform other planners of the concepts and benefits of universal design. The big idea illustrated by the film is that a built environment designed with the needs of the visually impaired in mind would be universally accessible for every single member of the community.
The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces
What makes good public spaces work, and why are some public spaces underused? Over the course of this film, William Whyte details insights into seven basic factors of successful public spaces: suitable space, interaction with the street, the sun, food, water, trees, and, finally, a term Whyte calls triangulation, or the ability of a public space to bring people together.