Public Spaces Reimagined: Embracing Universal Design
A public space is a place that is open and accessible to the general public.’ The initiation of any public space design begins with the user at its center. Transit, link, connection, node, interaction, and communication make up the essence of the design of any communal space. It’s a design of space and environment, that can be used by all people to the greatest extent possible without any need for adaptation or any specialized design.
What Defines a Universal Public Space?
Figure 01: Liz Crump 6th Julu 2020
We are constantly developing and evolving to discover challenges and pleasures and alongside are altering the spatial demands to achieve the same. Starting from play areas upgrading themselves from being static to kinetic and interactive, we have no contact kiosks for simpler public functions and interactive floor space to accommodate our outdoor lives of ours. As human beings, we are always looking to explore and improve to become better and so are our spaces upgrading themselves to catch up with us.
Inclusivity In Public Space Design:
When we talk about universally accessible design, it is taking into conscious consideration that this dependence on the urban interactive environment is not disrupted for even a single person. With an array of elements and a multitude of features, urban spaces today are a product of innovation, out-of-the-box thought, and creativity. Each of these elements within the space is in turn interdependent to make the space come alive with purpose. At the end of this road, we have the stakeholders, users, and the community as a whole who perceive, utilize, redefine and induce the element of functionality into the space using these design features.
Figure 02: Alina Chernichenko 2020
Here comes the concept of Universal design, an essential way of thinking in the creative process. The differentiation in utilitarian aspects of a shared space can unintentionally lead to self-isolation in terms of using that particular space.
Sensory Expression in Inclusive Urbanism:
The experience of an urban space goes beyond its visual elements and the utilization of other senses in addition to vision can greatly enhance the experiential value of any urban space. Being able to understand how sensory elements determine the character of the city can become eh key to understanding effective ways to make the idea of universal public space design a reality.
Figure 03: Park Design in Chennai (C40 Cities, 2021)
The design extends its arms to bring in elements like fragrant flowers, plants that are fit for human consumption, tactile planes, audio loops, braille signage, sculpted guardrails, and textured touchpads to put together a unique experience for all children alike. What sets the design apart is the fact that consideration has been taken towards the fact that there may be additional design feature requirements in the future depending on the evolving user categories.
Democracy In the Design Process:
Figure 04: For the People, By the People and of the People (Harrouk, 2021)
A democratic public space is a space owned by anyone and everyone, the democratic public space sets its standards along the lines of being a universal space accessible both physically and perceptually at all stages of activity and design. This would mean that the user plays an integral part in the decision-making for the design of public space. letting the practice of urban and public space design conform to the old school of thought is not ideal. As there is a change in the process of understanding the necessities of everyone, the new picture we need to paint through design is that ‘THE NEW NORMAL HAS NO DEFINITION OF “NORMAL”.’
References:
https://www.planning.org/planning/2016/mar/designforeverybody/
https://www.c40.org/case-studies/inclusive-sensory-public-space-in-chennai/
https://futurearchitectureplatform.org/projects/eaafe2fe-ec16-40c1-84ce-914ca006b64e/
