Culture Defining Design: Improving Access and Inclusion

Description

Private spaces serve a variety of significant purposes that include providing a stress-free environment, acting as a religious retreat, tending to children’s needs, taking medicines and providing an outlet for the most basic bodily functions.

The design of the traditional public restroom has not been altered in many decades and offers little or no privacy. Although the emergence of signs declaring the space you about to enter is safe and inclusive, the actual design of the space indicates otherwise.

This interdisciplinary panel will examine and define the challenges of changing cultural norms as it pertains to privacy, comfort and safety in public spaces, such as restrooms and locker rooms. Shared spaces that typically command a certain level of privacy need to be rethought in order to be more inclusive. The design community has a responsibility to support gender equality through the built environment and clients are demanding gender neutral design. During this discussion our panelists will address the impact the evolution of accessibility and function has made from the stand point of Owners (Responsibility), Architects (Conscientious Design) and Construction Managers (Building Codes) and discuss how Marketers and business development professionals can help guide clients toward inclusive design.
 

Credits:

AIA Credit Hours:

1.5 LU | HSW