The Importance of Universal Design for the Disabled in Public Buildings: A Public Building in Northern Cyprus as a Case Study

Abstract

It is essential that public buildings, which have an important place in the whole city and are open to every one's use, designed with the concept of universal design. Universal design; It aims to make standard designs for all groups of people living in a society with different characteristics, regardless of their physiological characteristics, age, gender, social, economic, and educational level. The design and use of public buildings, which are sometimes the city's symbol, sometimes the space that the citizens add color to their lives, and sometimes the facilities where services are received, are essential for the city's identity and the citizens. In this article, the concepts and principles of universal design were defined; the importance of anthropometry and ergonomics in universal design and its historical development were also discussed. As a part of the city, the universal design approach principles have been studied to design accessible, navigable, and accessible buildings together with the city. The legislation having a significant role in shaping the buildings and physical environment has also been discussed and interpreted within this scope. With this study, it has been revealed that "approach to building" (urban level), "circulation within building" (building level), and "reaching services in spaces" (space level) criteria, which are the primary approach criteria of universal design, coincide with the approach introduced in transforming the "user system" into a "building system". Thus, a criteria-based building evaluation form was created to evaluate many public buildings' design following universal design principles. From this point of view, the most used public building of Northern Cyprus has been comprehensively studied. The building's internal organization and its immediate surroundings have been examined and suggestions made within the framework of universal design principles.

Analysis of the Accessibility Improvement Index in Urban Areas through Heritage Buildings Used as Museums—Case Studies in the Region of Murcia (Spain)

“…The analysis of the interior space of a building [33][34][35][36] is relevant for understanding its potential use by people with disabilities, while the study of urban accessibility [17,18,21,22] is key for the use of exterior space. However, one of the constraints that complicates intervention in the urban environment is the interface with the buildings, so the connection points between these urban and architectural realms, the entrances, must be highlighted, as the continuity in the accessibility chain depends on them.…”

“…The social and technical significance of the discrimination caused by architectural barriers is evident in the extensive existing scientific literature, which addresses the topic across different physical environments that surround us: the urban environment [17,18,[21][22][23][24][25][26][27], residential architecture [18,[28][29][30][31][32], public buildings [33][34][35][36], transportation [19,20,37,38], and natural spaces [18,39].…”

Assessment of Design Principles in the Residential Buildings for Disabled Persons: A Case Study of Social Housing in Northern Cyprus

“…This applies to all users including wheelchair users, the visually impaired and blind, people with other types of disabilities, the elderly, children and those who are tall or short [39]. In the domain of design, it is crucial to take into account the accessibility of structures, internal flow, and the availability of services to guarantee their suitability for universal utilization [40]. The ADA Standards for Accessible Design, crafted in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), serve as the foundational directives for accessibility standards.…”

“…Their primary aim is to institute regulations that ensure access to spaces commonly used by disabled individuals within society [41]. Similarly, the United Nations document titled "Accessibility for the Disabled -A Design Manual for a Barrier-Free Environment" furnishes guidance to designers in the development of inclusive environments and spaces for both disabled individuals and the general population [42]. Therefore, these guidelines are employed to assess the case studies and ascertain their adherence to standard measurements and design principles.…”

An Evaluation Tool for Physical Accessibility of Cultural Heritage Buildings

“…Thus, there are numerous publications on accessibility in urban environments, such as those by Wojtyszyn [16], Perry et al [17], Setola, Marzi, and Torricelli [18], and Greco and Giacometti [19]. There is also abundant scientific literature focusing on public buildings, with studies carried out by Carlsson et al [20], Duman and Uzuno glu [21], Machado and de Oliveira [22], Setiawan et al [23], Shapiro, Pate and Cottingham [24], Basha [25], Nischith, Bhargava and Akshaya [26], De Medeiros et al [27] or Lau, Ho and Yau [28]. Similarly, the accessibility of residential architecture is widely studied [29][30][31][32][33] as it is the built environment closest to the user.…”