Amasikha Dey (000710201016)

Amit Bhattacharyya (000710201022)

Debayan Chatterjee (000710201006)
Dechen Donka Bhutia (000710201005)
3rd YEAR, 1ST SEMESTER Ipsita Shee (000710201030)
Sridipta Ghatak (000710201021)
DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE
Tiyasa Ray (000710201026)
JADAVPUR UNIVERSITY
 BARRIER FREE DESIGN : METHODS AND APPLICATIONS
A basic concept for Barrier Free Design is that people’s Mobility and Accessibility are largely
determined by the built environment, that is, the design of buildings, sidewalks, paths, roads and
vehicles.

Design standards and practices based on an “average” person fail to accommodate many potential users.
Barrier Free Design shifts more of the burden from the individual to the community; rather than assuming
that people must accommodate to the built environment, it assumes that the built environment should
accommodate all users as much as feasible.

It is also called universal design or "accessible design" and "assistive technology."

 The names suggest that it strives to be a broad-spectrum solution that produces buildings, products and
environments that are usable and effective for everyone, not just people with disabilities and to design
accessible amenities convenient to all people, without obstructing the free passage of pedestrians along
travel routes.

Signs that include pictures and words and

are both tactile and clearly worded welcome
people of all sizes, sensory abilities and
language skills.4 1
 HISTORY
ERGONOMICS originated at the end of World War II. Upon analyzing military objectives, their
successes and failures, scientists finally realized human beings needed to be taken into
account in the design process of machinery and equipment, to increase their effectiveness.
Ergonomics has since developed into a science concerning itself with human beings and how we
function in conjunction with a variety of equipment, products, methods and circumstances.

ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY rose out of the needs of thousands of injured Veterans wanting to return
to active, independent and fulfilling lives at the end of World War II. Governmental agencies
and research centers were established to help. Rehabilitation engineering became a specialty
of scientific principles and procedures to address their problems. Assistive technology refers
to equipment designed and created specifically to aid people with disabilities by providing
them with the means to function as independently as possible.

BARRIER-FREE DESIGN developed during the Civil Rights and Disability Rights Movements by those
trying to prevent discrimination against people with disabilities. Physical barriers were
recognized as a hindrance to a persons freedom. Barrier-free design now influence policies,
design practices and law through the standardization of codes for access to the built
environment, but workplace injuries continue to increase.

UNIVERSAL DESIGN strives to integrate all people, including those with disabilities, the
elderly and children into our society. Changes required to accommodate the disabled actually
benefit the whole population. And, they can be achieved relatively inexpensively with a little
forethought

2
 BASIC ANTHROPOMETRY

Pathway Dimensions

3
 PRINCIPLES
The "Principles of Universal Design" established by the Center for Universal Design were developed to
insure products, systems or environments are designed to be usable by everyone. These principals
include:

Principle 1 Equitable Use

Principle 2 Flexibility in Use
Principle 3 Simple and Intuitive
Principle 4 Perceptible Information
Principle 5 Tolerance for Error
Principle 6 Low Physical Effort
Principle 7 Size and Space for Approach and Use.

There are several methods of designing barrier free environments with different approaches
which may be categorized as the following

I. ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS: II. URBAN DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS:

1. Ramps
1.Obstacles
2. Elevators 2.Signage
3. Lifts 3.Street Furniture
4. Stairs 4.Pathways
5. Railings and Handrails 5.Curb Ramps
6. Entrances 6.Pedestrian Crossings
7. Vestibules
7.Parking
8. Doors
9. Corridors
10. Restrooms

4
 ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
RAMPS:

• To provide ramps wherever stairs obstruct the free passage

of pedestrians, mainly wheelchair users and people with
mobility problems.

• Minimum width 0.9m, maximum slope 1:20, landing of at least

1.2m to be provided after every 10 m.

• The surface should be hard and non-slip, with proper

handrails.

• Circular, curved and internal ramps are not recommended.

ELEVATORS:

• Maximum tolerance for stop precision should

be 20mm.

• For ease of reach, call buttons should be

mounted 0.90 m to 1.20 m from the floor

• The elevator hall signal should be placed at

an approximate height of 1.80 m

• The door opening interval should be no less

than five seconds. Re-opening activators
should be provided

5
 ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

STAIRS:

• Sharp edges and overhanging nosing

should not be used for treads.
Nosing should be flush or rounded
and should not project more than 40
mm.

• The minimum width of a stairway should be 0.90 m for one-way

traffic and 1.50 m for two-way traffic

RAILINGS AND HANDRAILS:

• Safety guards or railings should be installed

around hazardous areas, stairs, ramps, accessible
roofs, mezzanines, galleries, balconies and raised
platforms more than 0.40 m high.

• On stairways, windows positioned less than 1.00 m

from the landing should have railings.

• For the benefit of wheelchair users, a second handrail can be

mounted between 0.70 m and 0.75 m from the floor.
To facilitate use by children and short people, a third handrail can
be mounted at a height of 0.60 m

6
 ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

ENTRANCES:

• Where the entrance door opens inward, the minimum landing

dimensions should comply with figure 4.

• Where the entrance door opens outward, the minimum landing

dimensions should comply with figure 3.

• The surface of the landing should have a slope of 2% for

drainage.

VESTIBULES:

• Vestibule entrance doors can be either

the sliding type or the swinging type.

• The layout of two swinging doors in a

series can be one of the following:
(a) Outward-swinging
Swinging in both
(b) Double-swinging
directions
(c) Swinging in the same direction
(d) Inward-swinging
as shown in figures

Swinging in the same direction

7
 ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
DOORS:

• Accessible doors should be so designed as to permit operation by one

person in a single motion with little effort.

• Power-operated doors are the best for people with disabilities. The
activator system should be automatic or placed within easy reach.

• For exterior doors, the minimum opening is 0.90 m when the door is open.
For interior doors, the minimum opening is 0.80 m when the door is open.
For doors installed in an opening more than 0.60 m in depth, the clear door
opening should be at least 0.90 m (fig. 6).

• For double-leaf doors, at least one leaf should have a minimum clear
width of 0.80 m

• Extra pull handle: To facilitate closing, a door fitted with spring

closers should be equipped with an extra pull handle approximately 0.30 m
in length, located between 0.20 m and 0.30 m from the hinged side of the
door and mounted between 0.90 m and 1.20 m from the floor.

Kick plates are useful in protecting the finish on the lower part of the
door. Kick plates should be between 0.30 m and 0.40 m in height (fig. 8).
Threshold :Thresholds should be omitted wherever possible. Weather-
stripping at the door bottom is preferred to thresholds. The threshold
should not be more than 20 mm higher than the finished floor level.
8
 ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

RESTROOMS:
• Turning circles of 1.50 m diameter are recommended inside the rest room to allow for full-turn
maneuvering of a wheelchair.

Public rest rooms

• In any public rest room, at least one compartment for each sex should be accessible to an ambulant
disabled person.

• In any public rest room at least one unisex compartment should be accessible to a wheelchair user.
Accessible rest rooms should be marked with the international symbol of accessibility. No indication
is needed if all rest rooms are accessible.

• Pivoted doors should open outward unless sufficient space is provided within the toilet stall.

Residential rest rooms

• Residential rest rooms include those in private residences,

health facilities, dormitories and other residential institutional
settings.

• Residential bathrooms are usually equipped with a toilet, a

bidet, a wash-basin and a bath-tub or shower.
In multiple-rest-room arrangements (such as dormitories): (a) Only
one wash-basin per rest room needs to be accessible; (b) At least
one shower stall and one toilet stall should be designed for a
wheelchair user.

9
 URBAN DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

OBSTACLES:

Obstructions include street furniture, traffic signs, direction signs,

street plans, bollards, plants, trees, shop awnings and advertising
signs, etc.

•The minimum width of a clear unobstructed path should be 0.90 m.

• Overhanging signs in accessible pathways should be mounted at a minimum
clear height of 2.00m to allow a sightless person to pass safely.
• Fixed poles should have contrasting durable color marking strips of at
least 0.30 m in length, placed with the centre line at a height between
1.40 m and 1.60 m.

SIGNAGES:

Signage include direction signs, signs of locality, street

names and numbering, information signs, etc.
•signs should not be placed behind glass because of possible
reflection.
• For completely accessible buildings, it is enough to have
one explanatory sign at the entrance.
• Graphic or written directions should be used to indicate
clearly the type and location of the available facility.
• Maps and information panels at building entrances, along
roads, and on public buildings should be placed at a height
between 0.90 m and 1.80 m

10
 URBAN DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

STREET FURNITURE:

Street furniture includes bus stops, benches, mail boxes,

lampposts, signboards, telephone booths, public toilets,
newspaper kiosks, planting tubs, garbage bins, etc.

• Resting facilities should be provided at regular

intervals between 100.00 m and 200.00 m .
• Public seats and benches should be approximately 0.45 m
above floor level, with backrests at approximately 0.70 m
above floor level

• The height of a table should be between 0.75 m and 0.90

m and the minimum depth under the table should be 0.60 m,
in order to fit a wheelchair under all sides

PATHWAYS:
Street pavements, pedestrian passages in open spaces and
recreational areas, pedestrian underpasses and overpasses are all
considered pathways or ramps.

• A guide strip is a line means constructed in or on the road

surface to facilitate orientation for sightless pedestrians. Guide
strips should be laid in a simple and logical manner and should not
be located close to manholes or drains.

• Tactile tiling on the pedestrian route of travel should be placed

where alternative routes exist or at a junction of guide strips,at a
pedestrian crossing ,around obstructions which are difficult for the
sightless to detect.
11
 URBAN DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

CURB RAMPS:

Curb ramps are used wherever there is a difference in

level on pedestrian paths or cross paths.

• Curb ramps should be located away from places where

water accumulates.

• Where the construction of curb ramps would affect the

width of the travel route, the whole pavement should
be lowered, at a maximum slope of 1:12, to provide the
necessary level transition.

PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS:

Pedestrian crossings should be equipped with traffic control

signals. Low-traffic crossings frequently used by disabled
people can be controlled by a pedestrian push-button system.

• Guide strips should be constructed to indicate the

position of pedestrian crossings for the benefit of
sightless pedestrians.

• Pedestrian traffic lights should be provided with clearly

audible signals for the benefit of sightless pedestrians.
Acoustic devices should be installed on a pole at the point
of origin of crossing and not at the point of destination.
12
 URBAN DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

PARKING:

• Accessible parking provisions

apply to both outdoor and
underground facilities.
For multi-storey indoor parking
facilities, at least one level
should be served by an accessible
elevator.

• For parking facilities of a maximum number of 400 spaces,

accessible parking spaces should at least be provided in the
ratio of 1:50 (one accessible space for every 50 spaces). For
parking facilities of more than 400 spaces, at least 8
accessible parking spaces should be provided plus 1 space for
each additional increment of 100 cars over 400.

• For outdoor parking, accessible parking spaces should be

located not more than 50 m from accessible building entrances.
For indoor parking, accessible parking spaces should be located
right next to accessible elevators, or as close as possible to
exits.

• The minimum width of an accessible parking space is 3.60 m. The

recommended width is 3.90 m. An access aisle 1.20 m wide can be
located between two ordinary parking spaces

13
 BUILDING TYPES

1. PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION 2. PLANNING PRINCIPLE

Lack of special provisions for the disabled To design, to the extent possible, public
regarding accessible buildings and buildings accessible to all.
facilities.

3.SCOPE AND DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

i. Buildings with accessibility requirements
for the disabled include all public
buildings, governmental facilities and
institutions, office buildings, residential
buildings, commercial buildings, health
facilities, educational institutions
restaurants, recreational facilities,
sports facilities, religious buildings and
all other building types normally used by
the general public.
ii. For accessible buildings, at least one
entrance per facility should be accessible
to a wheelchair user. For new buildings,
the accessible entrance(s) should be the
main entrance(s) intended for use by the
general public.
iii.All work areas in which physically
disabled persons may be employed should be
accessible.
iv. In any public rest room, at least one
unisex compartment should be accessible to
a wheelchair user.

14
 BUILDING TYPES
Residential buildings
•It is desirable to consider a minimum of accessibility requirements
so as to accommodate disabled guests.
• The number of wheelchair housing units should be provided at a Office buildings
rate of one unit for a typical population of 1000. New office buildings should be as
accessible as possible so as to
Commercial uses accomodate all persons and not
•Merchandise display areas in accessible shops hinder employment of disabled
should be as conveniently located as possible persons.
to a wheelchair user  Where an office building is
• Angled mirrors can be placed above high subdivided among various tenants,
shelves for visibility. wheelchair rest rooms should be
provided on each floor.
Assembly halls  For small office buildings where
The number of spaces designated for wheelchair the floor area limits the provision
users in a seating area can be estimated of accessible rest rooms on each
according to the following table: floor, one accessible rest room
could be provided to serve the
No. of seats in No.of required entire building.
a seating area spaces for
wheel chair
A level floor area for wheelchair
user users should be placed at row ends
600 6 i.e 1/100 and should be scattered on
different levels so as to have a
Upto 1000 6+2 variety of seating and viewing
locations
Over 1000 8+1 for each
increment in 1000
seats
15
 BUILDING TYPES

Cafeterias and restaurants Educational buildings

•In self-service restaurants tray
•All teaching, administrative and
slides and counters should be
common areas should be accessible
mounted approximatly 0.90 m from
to a wheelchair user.
the floor. Food shelves should
• Colleges for physical
be mounted at a maximum height
education, police or military
of 1.20 m
training and other activities
• Stools and high tables are not
requiring full physical abilities
suitable for wheelchair users.
need not be accessible to
Low tables should be provided as
disabled people. However,
well.
provisions should be made for
disabled administrative staff
members.

Sports buildings
•Sports halls should be as accessible as possible to a
wheelchair user. Existing buildings
• At least one shower room, one rest room and one changing room
•The highest degree of
per facility should be accessible to a wheelchair user.
accessibility to all people
•Spectators' seating areas should be provided for wheelchair
should be provided to the extent
users as specified
possible in accordance with the
requirements
• in historic buildings the
challenge is to find alternative
solutions or other innovative
methods that do not conflict
with preservation requirements.
16
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
Texture and colour differences on a walkway
enhances wayfinding for pedestrians. Bibliography:

• United Nation’s Economic and Social

Commission for Western Asia
• Accessibility for the Disabled-A design
Manual for a Barrier free environment

Washrooms specially designed for

the physically handicapped
Acknowledgements:

Professor Sanjib Nag,Dept. of

Architecture,Jadavpur University

Accessible parking should be wide enough Thank You………….

for side-loading vehicles and deep enough 16
for rear loading vehicles