Inclusion by Design-Marked

8/8/2019 Inclusion by Design-Marked

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Inclusionby designEquality, diversity and

the built environment



Published in 2008 by theCommission for Architecture andthe Built Environment.

CABE is the government’s advisoron architecture, urban design andpublic space. As a public body,we encourage policymakers tocreate places that work for people.

We help local planners apply nationaldesign policy and advise developersand architects, persuading themto put people’s needs first. Weshow public sector clients how tocommission projects that meet theneeds of their users. And we seekto inspire the public to demand morefrom their buildings and spaces.Advising, influencing and inspiring,we work to create well-designed,

welcoming places.

Cover photo: Barking Town Centre,© Tim Soar

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Inclusion by design

The quality of buildings and spaces has a

strong influence on the quality of people’s

lives . Decisions about the design, planning

and management of places can enhance

or restrict a sense of belonging. They can

increase or reduce feelings of security ,

stretch or limit boundaries, promote or

reduce mobility, and improve or damagehealth. They can remove real and imagined

barriers between communities and foster

understanding and generosity of spirit.

Even though accessibility has improvedover the last decade, and planning policy

has shifted, with investment providing new

facilities to once-excluded communities, the

fact remains that poor and disadvantaged

people are far more likely to live in poor

quality environments. Social , cultural and

economic inequalities are still being literally

built into new places , and planners and

designers need to examine more closely the

impact of their decisions.



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People experience the builtenvironment differently according towho they are – their social, cultural

and economic background. The fulldiversity of this experience needs tobe considered if all users are to becomfortable and feel that a particularspace or place belongs to them.

In this briefing, we feature commentsfrom four different perspectives –the Women’s Design Service,GALOP, the Stephen LawrenceCharitable Trust and from a mentalhealth consultant – that vividlyillustrate what this means.

So long as women earn onaverage half of what men do, formthe majority of carers for elderlyrelations and still do most of thehousework and shopping, there isa whole range of issues related toplanning, transport, urban design,and housing provision which will

impact differently on the sexes.So long as women continue tobe victims of sexual harassment,domestic violence and rape theywill have a radically differentexperience of what constitutessafety in homes, towns and publicspaces. Women live longer thanmen, which has consequences forpoverty in older age, disability andfrailty, loneliness and isolation.This, in turn, has implications forthe design of lifetime homes andneighbourhoods.

Wendy Davis

Women’s Design Servicewww.wds.org

From access

to inclusion

For me or not for me?

Why people experience

the same place differently

The built environment cancontribute to a more equal, inclusiveand cohesive society if the places

where we live, the facilities weuse and our neighbourhoods andmeeting places are designedto be accessible and inclusive.

In this briefing we look at a broadmeaning of inclusion – not justaccess – starting with what aninhospitable built environmentlooks and feels like, and theunintended social, cultural andeconomic inequalities that follow.

Being able to live well in myhome environment is essentialto my mental and physical well-being. Yet those of us most atrisk of a breakdown in ourmental health and well-beingare much more likely to live insqualid housing amid constantnoise, and in an environment

where we are subjected toharassment and abuse. Quiet,books, natural beauty, green,open space – these are allessential for me. It’s not justabout the environments we buildbut also about how we inhabitthem – with kindness, goodmanners and a real respect foreach other.

Debby Klein

Mental health service userand consultant

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V a ux h al l Cr o s s b u s i n t er ch an g e ©R af M ak d a/ V I E W

Vauxhall Cross interchange:a central bus station withpedestrian movement brought

into a single, simplified areaat one of London’s busiestjunctions. Wide footpaths andsurface finishes help visuallyimpaired people and wheelchairusers. Better lighting and

CCTV have improved security



Getting around

Getting around is about much more thanaccessible buses and trains. It is as important to

have well-designed and well-managed streets thatdon’t act as a barrier to movement.

Inclusive design means designing for transportthat is dignified, accessible, affordable, safe andeasy to use.It means:

a chill-proof sheltera shelter with secure seatinga shelter with a talking countdown systema shelter with an emergency phonea safe and comfortable place to waita bus with a rampa bus that is safe from crime at night

a neighbourhood that works for peopleregardless of their age.

Inclusive transport design creates an wayfor everyone to get around.



2The managementand use of a place

1The location anddesign of a place

The location and design of placeshave a profound effect on howpeople benefit from them. The issues

here are about about technical,geographical and physical access,and usability.

The location and design of a place,its facilities, and equipment insidemay fail to take into account minoritycultural or religious requirementssuch as space for prayer andwashing facilities or numbers ofrooms. The impact of bad designis more likely to be felt by disabledpeople and older people, peoplefrom minority cultures and faiths,carers with young children, andtherefore has a disproportionateeffect on women. There is aconsiderable amount of researchand good practice advice aboutdesigning environments thatare inclusive.1

Location often results from

investment decisions made at alocal, regional or even national scale.The decentralisation of healthcareservices, for instance, is verywelcome but the quality of publictransport links to the new helathcentres can still have an impacton how easy they are to use forpeople without a car.

The physical and technical accessto a place and its usability do remainvital design issues. Despite advancesin anti-discrimination legislation,policy and best practice guidance,many buildings are, beyond theirentrances, still difficult for disabledpeople to use with dignity and ease.

The management and use of placeshave a significant effect on whetherwe find them friendly and welcoming,

and whether they generate a senseof belonging.

This idea is more subjective andless well researched, but not withoutplenty of anecdotal evidence.

The ambiance of a place —a combination of its design,management, and use — is morelikely to have an impact on groupsthat experience exclusion in otherwalks of life, such as lesbians andgay men, women, disabled people,people from minority religions andcultures and from deprived socialbackgrounds. It may be about thedesign of the space, about theattitude of staff, the furnishings,facilities, the type of events heldin the place – the programming –or quite simply: are there otherpeople like me here?

This is where involvement of groupsnot usually included in the designand planning process can reallymake a difference.

1 For instance, see recentwork by Dr GemmaBurgess (2008) Planning,Regeneration and theGender Equality Duty –why does gender matter? It illustrates how ‘tripchains’, the multiplejourneys such as thosebetween work, childcareand the shops affect womendisproportionately and arenot catered for by traditionalplanning policy. Adviceon inclusive design includesCABE’s The principles of inclusive design (availablefrom www.cabe.org.uk).



The links betweeneconomic inequality andthe built environment

It is well documented that thepoorest people in the UK tendto live in the least healthy

environments, with the greatestlikelihood of environmental hazardssuch as flooding and pollution.They are, consequently, less safeand less healthy.2

In the UK, there are still 13 millionpeople living in poverty.3 The poorare more likely to be in householdsled by women, in black and minorityethnic communities, and to bedisabled or elderly people. Inthe three months to June 2008,1.8 million children – one in sevenchildren – were living in householdswhere no-one works.4

These economic and socialinequalities are the backdropto people’s experience of theirdaily lives, their homes andneighbourhoods.

The reality of exclusion isinaccessible facilities, hostile urbanwastelands or rural isolation,threatening and poorly managedparks, dilapidated estates andhousing that is cramped, badlyinsulated, unhealthy and depressing.5

People living in disadvantaged areasare more likely to suffer the impactsfrom high traffic volume, with itsassociated noise, disturbanceand poor air quality, and a greaterlikelihood of being killed or injuredon the road.

Deprived neighbourhoods havefewer local amenities and the publicand open space they do have ismore likely to be poorly managedand maintained.6 ,7 In turn, neglectedpublic spaces contribute to theonset of vandalism, anti-social

behaviour, graffiti and littering.8

These are issues of both economicand environmental inequality. People

living in poverty are always morelikely to get a disproportionate shareof environmental hazards and so

have more to gain from interventionsto promote environmental equity.

Adapting to a changing climate willbe particularly challenging to olderpeople and those who live in poorquality housing who are less ableto make their homes resilient toextreme weather events and aremore vulnerable to the impacts offlooding 9,10 and heatwaves.11

Much of the focus of governmentinvestment in regeneration over thepast decade – the NeighbourhoodRenewal Fund and New Dealfor Communities in particular –focused on these deprivedneighbourhoods, in an effort toreduce economic inequality overall.Investment programmes continueto address inequality.

The ongoing challenge is to findways in which the design andmanagement of the built environmentalleviates and does not exacerbateincome inequality. The nationalprogramme of Sure Start centres,with their quality family-basedservices, and the Building Schoolsfor the Future programme, bothstarted in deprived areas. These aregood examples of favouring areasmost in need, and CABE encourageslocal authorities to use their planningpowers in this way as well.

2 Environmental problemsand service provision indeprived and more affluent

neighbourhoods, JosephRowntree Foundation(2005), establishes the

link between poverty anda poor environment

3 Data from 2006. Monitoring poverty and social exclusion,Joseph RowntreeFoundation, (2007)

4 Work and Worklessnessamong Households - aLabour Force Survey Officeof National Statistics (2008)

5 Home Sweet Home? Marsh,Gordon, Panatazis andHeslop (1999)

6 Environmental problemsand service provision in

deprived and more affluent neighbourhoods, JosephRowntree Foundationreport (2005)

7 Cleaning upneighbourhoods: Environmental problemsand service provision indeprived areas Hastings,A et al (2005)

8 Decent Parks? Decent Behaviour? The link

between the quality of parks and user behaviour

CABE Space (2005)

9 According to theEnvironment Agency, themost deprived people are62 per cent more likely tobe living in areas at highrisk of tidal flooding and willsuffer the greatest lossesand health effects. Better

Places Resource Pack ,Environment Agency (2008)

10 The Pitt Review: Lessonslearned from the 2007 floods, Cabinet Office (2008)

11 Heatwave plan for England , Departmentof Health (2008)



B ar k i n gL e ar ni n g C en t r e ©A n t h on y W el l er / V I E W

Barking Learning Centre: alibrary, café and art gallery lie atthe heart of this town-centre

development. The libraryfeatures informal reading areas,circular shelving and brightlycoloured rubber furniture. Thisaccessible and inviting approachto a library is clearly working:

the number of users has risenby around 50 per cent



A place for learning

Centres for learning are important particularlyfor people who need a space in which to study

in comfort. Inclusive design means a library thatis accessible, helpful, stimulating and reflectsthe diversity of its community. It means:

a building to be proud ofa library where you can’t hear a pin dropa library where you can linger and be warm

a library where people far from home canconnect up to their familiesa library where students are welcome – evenon Sunday morning when many need to studyaffordable facilitiesaccessible shelvesa diverse staff team that reflects the make-upof the community.

Well-designed libraries encourage enjoyment in life-long learning for people of all ages and backgrounds.



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Building communitiesthat work

Sustainable and socially cohesivecommunities are built on thebonds that unite rather than the

differences that separate.

The factors that make communitiescohesive are complex. They includea mixture of social, cultural andeconomic relationships betweencommunities of faith, class andrace, between affluence and povertyand between generations. Gooddesign and place management cancontribute to a more widespreadsense of belonging and can foster

good relations between, and within,communities. Our sense of being atease and belonging are strengthenedby positive contact with neighboursand by being involved togetherin decisions about the spaces andplaces we share.

Cohesion can be particularly fragilewithin and across economicallydeprived communities where

resources are scarce and wheremyths and stereotypes are promotedabout in-comers and which fuel asense of mistrust.12

Cohesion can easily break downif those deprived communities thatare divided by prejudices and bya sense that the ‘undeserving’ aregetting more than their fair share,or where it is felt that the providersof services are not concerned withfairness and equality. This can beparticularly relevant in areas ofregeneration or renewal.

The careful planning, design andmanagement of living spaces andthe public realm can encouragesuccessfully integrated andcohesive communities – or leadto disintegration.

For instance:

an upmarket shopping mall on theprosperous side of town can draw

the economic life out of a localhigh street that includes cheapershops, resulting in segregation of

the places where the affluent shopand those where the poor shop

a regeneration scheme that drawsits investment boundaries alongthe same lines that divide oneethnic community from anothercould encourage a sense of ‘them’and ‘us’.

Many of these decisions are in thehands of local authorities, developers,

and regeneration teams, and theconsultants who work with them,using the masterplanning processesto guide and shape change.

This is why CABE will workto increase awareness of theimplications that these decisionscan have on communities.

Lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and

transgender people are adroit atdecoding public spaces. Wemodify our behaviour to avoidharassment and violence, beingvigilant about public spaces andtransport, avoiding buses andstreets at school going hometimes, toning down signs of publicaffection, talking and dressingdifferently. Without this behaviourit is almost certain the rate ofhomophobic attacks would bemuch higher. But where areas feelmore welcoming, we are able toexpress ourselves comfortably. Sohow the environment is managedmakes all the difference – signs ofinclusion such as the rainbow flag,posters, or adverts for services.The design and management ofpublic spaces and facilitiesprovides practical solutions, andconsultation would be a good

starting point.

Deborah Gold

chief executive, GALOP

12 Anne Power and JohnHoughton Jigsaw Cities: Big places, small spaces (2007)



Problem to solution:inclusive design

Inclusive design is a process ofdesigning, building, managing andpopulating places and spaces13 that

ensures that they work for as manypeople as possible, not just somegroups. It encompasses wherepeople live and the public buildingsthey use, such as health centres,education facilities and libraries;and how they get around –neighbourhoods, streets, parksand green spaces and transport.

Inclusive design is about:

access with dignity – getting to,and into places, and using them.It is about physical access toplaces and services, includingaccess to appropriate technology

treatment with respect – howpeople are dealt with, talked toand looked after; whether theirneeds are considered and whetherthey are respected and welcomed

relevant services – do placesmeet people’s particular needs?Are they designed with users inmind? Do they give people asense that they have a right tobe there?

Good examples include a healthcentre that can cater for the specificneeds of patients seeking asylumafter torture; a school with learningspaces suitable for children withhearing impairment, and a park withfacilities for the frail elderly.

Inclusive environments will:

be responsive to people’s needs

be flexible in use

offer choice when a single

design solution cannot meetall users’ needs

be convenient so they canbe used without undue effortor ‘special separation’

be welcoming to a wide varietyof people, making them feelthey belong

accommodate without fuss orexception those who have specificrequirements.14

Inclusive design takes intoaccount people with specificmobility, dexterity, sensory, andcommunication impairments;learning disabilities; continenceneeds; and people whose mentalwell-being should be supportedby a thoughtfully crafted andmanaged environment.

Consultation is key to inclusivedesign. Right from the outset of anyproject, particular attention should bepaid to those likely to be overlooked

or whose views are less likely to beaccommodated. This includes womenand transgender people, elderlyand younger people and children,religious minorities, poorer andsocially excluded communities,lesbians and gay men, black andminority ethnic people. This doesnot happen enough; for instance,people who are victims of racistand homophobic hate crime areunlikely to be consulted about thedesign of public spaces.

13 Inclusive Design Strategy ,Olympic Delivery Authority(2008)

14 The principles of inclusive design.(They include you.), CABE(2006) Available fromwww.cabe.org.uk/publications



T h eH u b ,R e g en t ' s P ar k ©Mi ch el eT ur r i ani



Good space design createsan inclusive space to relaxand play – a place designedwith everyone in mind

The Hub, Regent’s Park: a placeto meet, watch and play sport.Built for the Royal Parks, the

Hub includes changing facilitiesfor people with disabilities. Itsdevelopment involved the LondonSports Forum for Disabled People,which promotes an ‘inclusive and

active’ initiative with Sport Englandand the Greater London Authority



T h eH u b ,R e g en t ' s P ar k ©F i s h er H ar t / V I E W



A space to enjoy

Well-maintained parks and green spaces help usto unwind and relax and are good for our health,

well-being and for sociability across communities.Inclusive design means an open space that issafe, accessible, practical and a pleasure to use.It means:

a park with vigilant and sensitive staffa park with clean and safe facilities

a place with good lighting and clear signsa place with children and adults in minda park with smooth flat paths for getting aroundand humps and bumps to play and lounge ona park where people can exercise and behealthya warm place to linger and talka place that encourages mixing between

different groups.

Good space design creates an inclusive spaceto relax and play; a place designed with everyonein mind.



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Housing, streets, neighbourhoods,public spaces and local amenitiescan be designed and managed to

accommodate the different ways inwhich people experience the builtenvironment. Examples of inclusionin design include:

homes that are designed withwide hallways can accommodatebaby buggies, teenagers’ bikes,crutches, hikers’ equipment,children’s toys and a Zimmerframe, ensuring they are practicalfor all stages of life

housing that is designed so thatwindows overlook well-connectedstreets helps to create publicspaces where vulnerable peoplefeel safer

estates that have safe placesfor young people to hang out,designed with their participation,can help reduce intergenerational

conflict

neighbourhoods that are designedto be distinctive and easy tonavigate help people withdementia find their way around

uncluttered and clearly signpostedpavements will benefit people withsight or mobility impairments

parks and tracks that have pruned-back bushes and clear sight-lineswill feel safer for women andteenagers

hospitals with good transportlinks and cheap parking willbenefit less well-off families

schools that design out isolatedcorners and remote toilet blocksminimise opportunities for bullying

town squares that have shady,secure seating will benefit olderpeople

a well-lit and clearly signedbus/train interchange with warmwaiting rooms and clean toiletswill benefit older people.

The desire to balance demandsfor diversity with public values ofsocial integration and communitycohesion is a challenge for thebuilt environment professions. Theaesthetics of place need to breakfree from historic preconceptionsthat assume universal principlesand homogeneous societies.The way in which race andspace manifests itself in the builtenvironment has to be understoodthrough the subtle, sensual andinconspicuous experiences ofblack and minority ethnic peoplein all their diversity, as well as

their reading of public and greenspaces, travel and safety andwork and leisure.

Karin Woodley

Chief executiveStephen Lawrence CharitableTrustwww.stephenlawrence.org

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The benefits ofinclusive design

There is a strong link between thedesign and management of thebuildings, spaces and places and

the development of a more equaland inclusive society. Places thatare inclusive should:

be welcoming and for everyone

be accessible and easy to use,with dignity and without undueeffort or anxiety

enhance our mental and physicalhealth and well-being

reflect the diversity of today’ssociety while building on thehistory of local areas

encourage mutual and harmoniousrelations between social groupsand ensure that economicresources are evenly andfairly shared.

These principles are embedded in arange of national standards and bestpractice guidance including Buildingfor Life,15 Code for SustainableHomes,16 Lifetime Homes standards,17

Manual for Streets,18 The principlesof inclusive design,19 Planning policystatements 1, 3, 6 and 12 andplanning policy guidance note 17.20

Exclusive design

Places and spaces are sometimes

deliberately designed andmanaged to exclude people, andthe implications of this needcareful thought.

Benches that people cannotlie down on ‘design out’ streethomeless people; bubbled slopesprevent skateboarders.21 Deliberateexclusion is also about straightexclusivity: gated communities

or privatised river frontages cancreate a sense of ‘them andus’, leaving people feeling quiteliterally excluded.

Places in the centres of townsand cities which appear to bepublic realm but are in fact privatelymanaged may seek to excludecertain groups, often young people,to address fears about anti-socialbehaviour. A company developinga shopping centre could arguethat some people would put offthe consumers who buy the goodsthat ultimately pay for the shoppingcentre. This may be a decision madein the perceived interests of thewider community, but once again itcan create a sense of them and us.

Assertive teenagers, streetdrinkers, the very poor, shabby

or disorientated do have the rightto use public spaces – withinthe bounds of socially acceptablebehaviour.

These can be very difficult issues,not least because the behaviour ofvulnerable groups can impact moststrongly on other vulnerable groups.But it is not justifiable to createenvironments that exclude certain

groups because of a generalisedand perceived threat to others.

15 Further details atwww.buildingforlife.org

16 Communities and LocalGovernment (2008) TheCode for SustainableHomes: Setting the standard in sustainability for new homes

17 Lifetime Homes Standardshave been developedby the Joseph RowntreeFoundation and areincreasingly being adopted.

For more details seewww.jrf.org.uk/housingandcare/lifetimehomes

18 Department for TransportManual for Streets (2007)

19 The principles of inclusivedesign. (They include you.),CABE (2006)

20 Planning policy statementsare available from theCLG website,www.communities.gov.uk/planningandbuilding

21 What kind of world are webuilding? The privatisationof public space, RoyalInstitution of CharteredSurveyors (2006)



R o y al F e s t i v al H al l ©D enni s Gi l b er t

Royal Festival Hall, London:the restoration of the GradeI-listed public building has

created an open and accessiblefoyer space, excellent acousticstandards in the mainauditorium and a new glassscenic lift offering accessto all parts of the building.

Programming takes culturallearning into the community



A centre for culture

Inclusive design means a cultural space that isaccessible, inviting and exciting to use. It means:

a place that is affordablea place that isn’t stuffya place that you can use with dignity andfree from anxietya place where you aren’t talked down toa place where you can linger if you want to

a place you can get home from safelya programme that stimulates your interestmanagement that knows that comfortis importantmanagement that uses up-to-datetechnology to maximise participation.

Good cultural design creates an inclusive

place of enjoyment – a true people’s palace –and a place with a sense of belonging.



The built environment is created

and managed by a wide range ofprofessions, including architects,planners, landscape architects,engineers, quantity surveyors,and park managers. Professionsthat mirror the diversity of thesociety they serve have a muchgreater chance of creating a builtenvironment that suits that society.

CABE has published three pieces

of research into the compositionof the relevant professions. Twoof them, published in 2005, wereprimarily concerned with building.These studies, Minority ethnicrepresentation in the built environment professions andArchitecture and race: a study of minority ethnic students inthe profession,22 confirmed thatthe precise information aboutrepresentation in the builtenvironment professions wasunknown, largely becauseinstitutions had failed to monitortheir members or employees.However, we do know from thestudies that only 2 per cent ofregistered architects are blackand minority ethnic compared to

8 per cent of the population being

from a minority ethnic group.23

Sunand Prasad, the presidentof the RIBA, notes that theconstruction industry professionsare disproportionately white men.‘CABE’s research established thatblack architecture students areless likely than white students tocomplete their progress througharchitectural education and haveone quarter of the odds of getting

a first class degree as comparedto a white student.’

In 2004, CABE Space’s researchinto local authority park workforces,Parks need people, also noted aworkforce that does not representthe society it serves. ‘Staffcomposition is unrepresentative ofthe community of park users andthe working population as a whole,comprising predominantly whitemen aged over 40,’ it said. ‘Thereis virtually no ethnic diversity andthe proportion of women workingin the sector is only around10 per cent. The workforce isan ageing one, with 68 per centover 40 and 92 per cent over30 years old.’

Diversity in the built environment professions

22 Both available fromwww.cabe.org.uk/publications

23 Office of National Statistics,tinyurl.com/4635u



Priorities for action Five high prioritiesfor CABE

There are both ethical and pragmaticarguments for acting on equality andinclusion in the built environment. A

more equal, inclusive and sustainableenvironment contributes to a fairer,more democratic and tolerant society.

A more inclusive built environmenttaps into neglected talent, useshuman resources more intelligentlyand is therefore more economicallyresilient and socially vibrant.

Getting it right on the builtenvironment promotes our health,well-being and sense of inclusion.Action on these issues is aboutthe economic, social and culturalwellbeing of our society, in whichwe all have a role to play.

Users take centre

stage at CABE

CABE has set up a new inclusionby design group to advise on allaspects of inclusive design andequality. The 20 members bringto the discussion both professionalexpertise and specific userperspectives. The new groupwill help CABE turn principlesinto practice.

1 Work with other professionalinstitutions to increase the diversityof those joining and rising in the

built environment professions –identifying practical strategiesfor change within the professions,supporting imaginative positiveaction programmes, setting targets,and rewarding successful diversityinitiatives.

2 Use our influence with the builtenvironment professions to promoteinclusive and equitable design,through our design review panels,enabling schemes, awards andthe promotion of best practice.Ensure that inclusive designremains a corporate priority.

3 Promote with increased rigour theprinciples and practice of inclusivedesign, and the involvement ofaccess specialists and disabledpeople in the development of allmajor schemes that come to CABE.

4 Research further the connectionsbetween sustainability and equality,and promote an integrated agendaof environmental equity throughgood practice.

5 Lead by example on equalityand inclusion, building a diverseworkforce and CABE ‘family’ –the commissioners, enablers,design review panellists and otherprofessionals who advise us. Ensurethat 100 per cent of CABE’s familyunderstand their role in promotingthis agenda, with every CABEactivity and publication containingappropriate coverage of equalityand inclusive design.

The CABE equality scheme containsour detailed action plan on equalityand inclusion.



A d el ai d eWh ar f ,H a ck n e y © Ol l i H el l m ann

Adelaide Wharf, Hackney:high-density, high-qualityaffordable homes, including

apartments for keyworkers. The scheme aimsto be socially diverse andtenure blind, providing73 private flats and33 for affordable rent



A place to live

Inclusive design means a place to live that isadaptable, practical, secure and somewhere you

want to settle. It means:

a place that is affordablea place that has enough rooma place that is easy to adapta place where wheelchairs and pushchairshave been thought about

a place that is designed for day-to-day usea place built to last and not to waste resourcesa place that generates a sense of communitya place where privacy is balanced withcommunity vigilancea place with facilities close to hand.

Good housing design creates places that

everyone could call home.



Five high priorities

for local authorities

Five high priorities

for the professions

1 Collect data on the compositionof the professions, and use thisevidence to broaden the diversity

of representation.

2 Work collaboratively acrossprofessional teams to maximiseexpertise and understanding ofinclusion and equality.

3 Take care to consult and involvethe people most likely to beaffected by any changes.

4 Do more than you need to.Work with clients to exceed theregulatory and good practiceguidance on inclusive design,and comply with guidance onthe provision of lifetime andwheelchair accessible homes.Exceed the public duties on race,gender and disability equality.

5 Use access specialists throughouta project – from concept to

post-occupancy stages.

1 Do more than you need to.Continue to act on the legalresponsibility under the public

duties on race, gender anddisability to promote equality,involvement and consultation –and exceed it where you can.

2 Creating successful placesmeans consulting people,so always involve local peoplein discussions about futuredevelopments. Build a trackrecord of involvement andlistening. Use imaginativemethods of involvement.

3 Communicate proposalseffectively, using accessible, plainlanguage. Offer training in designand planning for access groupsand people from communitiesand encourage people toact as ambassadors for theircommunities in design processes.

4 Set up an access group formajor schemes and get an accessconsultant on board.

5 Ensure that local investmentand planning promoteenvironmental equalityand cohesive, sustainablecommunities.

What do you think ofthis briefing? Let us

know by emailing

[email protected]



Places for all

The national training centre for the spinal injuriescharity Aspire is the first fitness and training centre

in Europe designed for both disabled andnon-disabled people. The centre is open toeveryone. About a third of the members aredisabled and the centre offers them subsidisedmembership. Its features include:

a 25-metre swimming pool with ramped accessfor wheelchair users. Its water temperature of32º makes it suitable for people of all agesa gymnasium with fitness equipment designedfor workouts by both non-disabled and disabledusers (seats swing aside to allow wheelchairs

to move in when needed)a sports hall for badminton, five-a-side football,wheelchair rugby and basketballa dance studio that is both the national hometo the internationally acclaimed integrateddance company Candoco, featuring disabledand non-disabled dancers, and a space wherearts activities can happen.

Aspire’s ethos is about making few distinctionsbetween disabled and non-disabled people – and

the all-embracing philosophy is supported by thecentre’s inclusive design. Rather than male, femaleand disabled toilets it has unisex toilets that areaccessible to everyone. And fire exits from thecentre have ramps leading down from the firstfloor, avoiding the need for refuge spaces.

The building’s design, alongside the centre’sfacilities, equipment and trained staff, is endorsedby the charity-led national inclusive fitness initiative(see www.inclusivefitness.org.uk for moreinformation).

www.aspire.org.uk

Across the country

there are outstanding

examples of where gooddesign has delivered

places that work for

all people. Here we

highlight three projects

that in their own way

take forward inclusive

design provision

Aspire, Stanmore: integrated

training and fitness

© Ni g el Y o un g/ F o s t er an

d P ar t n er s



Many places have ‘accessible’ toilets that aredesigned for disabled people. But very oftenthey don’t meet the needs of all disabled people.The UK has approximately 40,000 people withprofound and multiple learning difficulties whooften need more help changing or using thetoilet than is possible in usual disabled facilities.

Changing Places, a national consortium ofcharities and public bodies, campaigns for toiletswith enough space for disabled people and theircarers to change with ease and with dignity. It hasprovided more than 50 special toilets across thecountry, including in the London’s Tate Modern

and at Gateshead’s Sage centre. Changing Placestoilets are different to standard disabled toilets.They provide:

Equipment

a height-adjustable changing bencha tracking hoist system, or mobile hoist if thisis not possible.

Space

adequate space in the changing area for the

disabled person and up to two carersa centrally placed toilet with room either sidefor the carersa screen or curtain to allow the disabledperson and carer some privacy.

Safe and clean environment

wide tear-off paper roll to cover the bench.

www.changing-places.org

The redevelopment of the public space atSpa Fields shows how involving the communityin the design and construction of spaces can behugely beneficial. Spa Fields was created over200 years ago, but it had become dilapidated andresidents avoided it and felt unsafe there. Closeconsultation and engagement with the communityhas helped produce a friendly, inclusive space.

A path running through the eastern end of thepark shows how consultation can improve design.Previously it ran through the centre of a smalldepression near to bushes. After a workshop withlocal women, run by the Women’s Design Service,

it was raised and placed on one side. As well asbetter visibility it felt safer and encouraged morepeople to walk along it. It is fully inclusive – thisroute goes through the younger people’s play area,encouraging its use as a space for everybody.

The space was opened up to allow greateraccess and visibility. A new entrance passageencourages greater movement through the space.A stainless steel gate acts as a mirror, showingvisitors whether the gates are open and the

park is busy before they walk up the alley. Privatespaces are cordoned off from many angles,but remain accessible and with clear sightlines.

Engagement with young people of the area hasmeant the park remains well used with very littlevandalism. During construction, 13 local youngpeople were given work experience on thesite. Three went on to get permanent jobs withthe construction company, aiding the sense oflocal ownership.

www.wds.org.uk

Changing Places: making

towns and cities accessible

Spa Fields, Islington:

community consultation

and engagement



Until recently, discussion about

equality and the built environment

focussed on physical access – or

the lack of it. As physical access

has improved, the discussion has

widened to address cultural and

economic access, recognising that

design plays a vital role in including,

and often excluding, communities.

Inclusion by design sets out CABE’sposition on equality, diversity and

the built environment. It offers

everyday examples from urban living

demonstrating how good design

can help create places that work for

everyone. Inclusion by design will

interest design professionals and

people working in government, as

well as everyone working with CABE.

Barking Town Square: a major newpublic space for east London. Thescheme design, by mufarchitecture/art and Allford HallMonaghan Morris and shown here in

its finishing stages with new

chandeliers under wraps, followeddetailed discussion with accessconsultants. The Barking schemeinvolved diverse local groups in its

Inclusion by Design-Marked

Documents