Editorial Reviews
Review
DESIGN RESEARCH NEWS, Volume 7 Number 3 Digital Newsletter of the Design Research Society
by Cherie Lebbon, Research Fellow, Helen Hamlyn Research Centre, Royal College of Art, London
Universal Design handbook, Wolfgang F.E. Preiser, Editor in Chief and Elaine Ostroff, Senior Editor, McGraw-Hill
Not long before Christmas I received a copy of Universal Design Handbook. On first inspection I thought it was going to make a great door stop, or hold back for the overflowing collection papers and pamphlets accumulating on my shelves. However, after only a couple of months I already find that it is regularly dipped into. This massive document is a fantastic and fascinating resource for researchers who are interested in the subject of universal and inclusive design and something of this type has been long awaited by the design research community. It also provides a good resource for those who wish to bring universal deesign into their design teaching, giving them sound information on which to base any teaching program.
This is probably the most comprehensive reference work on universal design to date. It brings together writings from an international panel of experts in the field, each being thoroughly referenced and providing an excellent entry point for further research. The book, with its 69 international contributions, addresses a wide selection of universal design projects that range from an office work station, to interior architecture, buildings, landscape and all the way to parks and wilderness areas. It also includes some chapters that relate to product design such as the one on universal design in automobile design. The research questions, methodologies and findings presented are focused on how universally designed products and environments can be created to be usable by most people, regardless of ability/disability, health, gender, ethnicity, or cultural context.
Though the emphasis is on the application of universal design in the build environment, there is a mass of material that is pertinent to anyone researching or teaching universal or inclusive design. The fact that it covers a wide set of issues across the various design communities is especially useful as it helps designers and researchers place their own practice and interests in context with approaches in other design fields.
In my role as a researcher of inclusive design I have found each contribution to hold something of relevance, which has added to my body of knowledge and contributed to my own research activities. As a design teacher I have been able to draw on the experience of others in framing my own teaching programme, the parts 7 and 8 on education and case studies being particularly useful. And as a practising designer I have been very interested to compare my own experiences with those of others as outlined in Part 6.
I am sure that in the USA the additional CDROM is also very useful, enabling readers to access and understand the laws that have driven some of the universal design activities to date. Regrettably there is no equivalent disk for European, UK, Japanese or other country's legislation.
I would not recommend the book as an introductory document on universal design as it would overwhelm the unitiated. It is, however, very comprehensive and in bringing together the work of the major researchers gives access to this essential information to a much wider audience than that which regularly participates in the universal design dialogue.
Book Description
100% ACCESSIBILITY ANSWERSThe Americans With Disability Act Accessibility Guidelines state the minimum requirements you must meet--but don't tell you how to do it. This complete HANDBOOK does--and goes beyond with solutions to intransigent problems, innovations from abroad, and a wide-scoped vision of design that truly is universal.Packed with examples of standards and design solutions from influential nations around the world--including, of course, the United States and the proposed new Americans With Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines--UNIVERSAL DESIGN HANDBOOK covers the full scope of accommodation issues from universally-designed buildings to internet accessibility. Open these pages for wide-ranging accessible design answers: *Residential, commercial, workplace, office, educational, recreational, and entertainment *Elderly and/or disabled people, and children *Vision, hearing, touch, and developmental disabilities as well as mobility limitations *Telecommunications, information technology, and electronics accessibility *Automobile and product design *Outdoor, wilderness, and children's play areas *Healing design *Assessment of invidual needs *Legal issues and cases *International standards, from the ADAAG to Japan, Canada, Australia, and more *Problem-solving case studies from around the world A BOOM IN DESIGN WITHOUT BOUNDARIES As baby boomers reach their golden years and the number of permanently disabled people in the US hovers around 50 million, design that welcomes everyone grows more popular and more necessary. Building on legal mandates for public accommodations in the US and elsewhere, universal design that works for all people, of all ages and abilities, has become not only a kinder, gentler choice, but a wiser and more economically farsighted one as well. In fact, accessibility answers have become need-to-know information for construction professionals. Here, for smart architects, designers, builders, and planners is the first complete, one-stop source of information on all the standards. This HANDBOOK explains not only major international standards but offers inspiring design solutions from around the world as well. ON THE CD-ROM Technical and Design Data * Proposed Rule of the Americans With Disabilities Act and Architectural Barriers Act Accessibility Guidelines * Downloadable ADAAG and dimensional standards * Amendments to the ADAAG
Universal Design Handbook
Universal Design Handbook,Wolfgang Preiser,Elaine Ostroff,McGraw-Hill Professional,0071376054,Architecture,Architecture And The Physically Challenged,Art,Barrier-free design,Design & Drafting,Engineering - Civil,General,Reference,Universal design,Architecture / General
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