Inclusive Design: A New Approach to Design Project

Abstract

All human beings are entitled to human dignity on equal terms. This principle must dominate the development of a society open to everyone, which leads to Inclusive Design concept.

Inclusive design is not an obstacle, it’s a challenge; it’s a philosophy based on individual differences. The concept implies the creation of environments, products and services available and usable by the largest possible number of people, of all ages, sizes and with different abilities, given them equal opportunity to participate in society, thus the physical environment can directly prevent people from participating in desired activities on equal terms with the majority. In Europe almost 25 % of the population suffer from some form of functional limitation. In Portugal, more than 1 million of persons have some type of inability.

The design project, as central subject in the designer’s formation, should be developed having in mind the Inclusive Design principles, in a sustainable perspective, behind the concept dissemination. The idea is to demonstrate how the design practices can adopt a routine inclusive approach, if those principles should be considered right from the very beginning. Behind the inclusive design contents and practices associated to the design project, in the designers’ graduate formation, the integrated research projects and the post-graduate formation are also mainstream forms of the approach to the theme in the Lisbon Faculty of Architecture (FA).

Several research projects in inclusive design are in development at FA, integrated in LID — Design Innovation Laboratory, among which: “The Observatory in Inclusive Design”; “Evaluation of the Accessibility and Usability Conditions of ATM Machines”; “Design Ergonomic Project”; “Accessibility and Inclusion in Graduation Teaching”.

Everyone involved in the current process at FA hope that this postural changing may contribute for a better knowledge and application of the rule and standards in what concerns accessibilities and Inclusive Design, when developing a Design Project, in a way to integrate a greater number of persons. We should be able to make our choices about spaces, environment, objects and information design, and also its politics, not only to reduce the barriers, but also to incorporate all in a sustainable approach, with social responsibility and respect for the human rights.