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Planning for human diversity : design patterns of Universal Design

Müller, Lilian LU ; Wojahn, Daniel ; Sandström, Ida LU orcid and Hedvall, Per-Olof LU orcid (2022) In Nordic Journal of Architectural Research 34(2). p.75-104
Abstract
Ensuring the conditions for an inclusive society in the face of human
diversity places various demands on the built environment. Planning is
essential for accommodating a wide range of individual preferences and
abilities.

This article examines the presence and absence of Universal Design (UD)
in contemporary urban planning and construction in eight new or remodelled
Swedish building and public space projects. The projects were
studied in-situ and via documentation from the planning and building
process.

The findings show two ways in which UD is present. The first is a pattern
where people are not separated from each other, whilst the second
is a pattern of facilitating equal use by... (More)
Ensuring the conditions for an inclusive society in the face of human
diversity places various demands on the built environment. Planning is
essential for accommodating a wide range of individual preferences and
abilities.

This article examines the presence and absence of Universal Design (UD)
in contemporary urban planning and construction in eight new or remodelled
Swedish building and public space projects. The projects were
studied in-situ and via documentation from the planning and building
process.

The findings show two ways in which UD is present. The first is a pattern
where people are not separated from each other, whilst the second
is a pattern of facilitating equal use by placing low demands on users’
abilities. It was revealed that UD was implemented more in remodelling
projects than in new constructions, which instead created new inequalities
through categorisations of users and high demands on users’ abilities.
They were also linked to an imbalance between green and social
sustainability.

We argue that a change of mindset is pivotal for implementing UD.
Human diversity must be a consideration throughout planning and
building processes, and creating a sustainable society requires UD. This
article contributes new knowledge regarding patterns characterising
such a mindshift. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Universal Design, Architecture, Urban planning, Built environment, Social inclusion, Human diversity, Sustainability
in
Nordic Journal of Architectural Research
volume
34
issue
2
pages
29 pages
publisher
SINTEF Akademisk Forlag
external identifiers
  • scopus:85146784873
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
7c43e25d-b4c2-457f-8607-fbc61f6002b8
alternative location
http://arkitekturforskning.net/na/article/view/1282
date added to LUP
2023-02-09 10:41:04
date last changed
2023-12-06 01:33:21
@article{7c43e25d-b4c2-457f-8607-fbc61f6002b8,
  abstract     = {{Ensuring the conditions for an inclusive society in the face of human<br/>diversity places various demands on the built environment. Planning is<br/>essential for accommodating a wide range of individual preferences and<br/>abilities.<br/><br/>This article examines the presence and absence of Universal Design (UD)<br/>in contemporary urban planning and construction in eight new or remodelled<br/>Swedish building and public space projects. The projects were<br/>studied in-situ and via documentation from the planning and building<br/>process.<br/><br/>The findings show two ways in which UD is present. The first is a pattern<br/>where people are not separated from each other, whilst the second<br/>is a pattern of facilitating equal use by placing low demands on users’<br/>abilities. It was revealed that UD was implemented more in remodelling<br/>projects than in new constructions, which instead created new inequalities<br/>through categorisations of users and high demands on users’ abilities.<br/>They were also linked to an imbalance between green and social<br/>sustainability.<br/><br/>We argue that a change of mindset is pivotal for implementing UD.<br/>Human diversity must be a consideration throughout planning and<br/>building processes, and creating a sustainable society requires UD. This<br/>article contributes new knowledge regarding patterns characterising<br/>such a mindshift.}},
  author       = {{Müller, Lilian and Wojahn, Daniel and Sandström, Ida and Hedvall, Per-Olof}},
  keywords     = {{Universal Design; Architecture; Urban planning; Built environment; Social inclusion; Human diversity; Sustainability}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{12}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{75--104}},
  publisher    = {{SINTEF Akademisk Forlag}},
  series       = {{Nordic Journal of Architectural Research}},
  title        = {{Planning for human diversity : design patterns of Universal Design}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/137844823/Muller_L._et_al._2022_Planning_for_human_diversity.pdf}},
  volume       = {{34}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}