I would like to welcome everybody back. I hope that all of you enjoyed the poster
session. I will be sending everybody a reminder web like to remind everybody
where it is so you can't get any handouts or anything else that people want
to turn in. Some people had papers and things they were handing out. I asked
them to provide that with us so we could share as much information with you
as possible. I would also like to remind you about your in valuation for its.
We would like your feedback on the conference and the quality of the presenters
and everything else. This is so we can do a better job next time around. You
can drop those at the front desk after this session as well, and we do recycle
name tags. If you don't want to keep your neck forever, we would be happy to
keep trade it is our small way to cut costs. You will note the conference fee
to attend this conference as per modest, and it is because the generous donations
of the variety of different organizations. We try to keep your costs down for
all of our defense. I would like to thank you for that. I am going to turn it
over to Jack now. We will have a brief Awards ceremony and then we will be going
into jobs best position. Unfortunately Wolfgang could not be with us today.
Jack will be presenting on his behalf. We can all enjoy his lecture, and then
we will have time at the end for all of the plenary speakers who have been with
us can have a policy discussion so that we can have more of a discussion as
a group. At this time I will turn it over to check. Thank you.
Thanks. For me the sign of a good conference -- when I trouble to attend a conference the two things that I look for is that I find at least one new idea, and the other is friends other than that for King. I meet new people but I network with in the future. I hope you all at least got one good idea out of the conference and get people to collaborate with in the future. Even though Jennifer and I are running around doing lots of things, we did meet lots of people and lots of a fabulous ideas. Important as these pair of sunglasses -- time and effort they put in. So we know that our students occasionally need sustenance. We got each of them a little bit. They come up and we would like you to acknowledge them for the work they have done for the conference. Come on up here. So we get them addicted to its certificate for Prince coffee shop. It is a sensible for them. Shan Wu? thank you. Laura Slocum. Brandy, there you are. Art Curly. Goldie. Ann, there you are. Andrea Cooper. Heidi Martin. Thank you. Matt Lantou. Meagen Gump. and last but not least [ INDISCERNIBLE ] where is Brent? We don't have one for Brent crude.
Brent, yours is coming.
We will put you afterwards. Thank you very much. All the papers and posters that came in were reviewed. So any poster or paper that was in the conference was a select set bird so for the students made it into the conference and for anyone who did, you are certainly a select group. We pick from the peppers and design projects what we thought were the best design projects and best papers. So we want to give an award to each of those students. For the best student project award Caitlin Burnham. Could you come down here? Not all these people are from Ohio or are a state bird we have a special aspect that is going with this award. It is a Buckeye. But represents a little known football team. So we want to make sure we have yours of it and your bike ride. Congratulations. She is from the interior design program. The best student paper or goes to and to get shots of -- Antike Suatsu. From the University of Newcastle. Well, as you heard Wolfgang Preiser could not make it here. He had an operation two weeks ago. He is a tireless worker. Up until the day he went in for his operation he was sending me revised information on his paper and revised our point for me to present. I certainly cannot do his Austrian accent. I'm not sure I can live up to his position, but I will do the best I can to recover its position. Let me introduce Wolfgang. Wolfgang and I worked in the bigs in the Pennsylvania State in receipt relations program. It was a unique program at the time. It's dealt with humans and their environment. We were there at different times and but after word and we have cool Web bit since then. He has a special as on evaluation and health-care, public housing, research and design, design research in general. He was the principal investigator for the Soviet master plan for the public library up help the county. He has received too many awards for me to mention to you. Progressive Architecture towards, to Fulbright fellowships, career Achievement Award, and lots more. He has cooperated with hundreds of people around the world and around the country, and he has been invited speaker also around the world from the going back and forth to countries around the world to talk about programming, evaluation, at Universal design. Recently he did the master work in your reversal design. So I we will try to pick up for his presentation. What his position is entitled is Universal Design: The Paradigm of the 21st Century got the seven principles of universal design. So universal design is the but the power to lift people and the human spirit. It ranges from -- sorry, it ranges from the inclusion and not discriminatory design products to cars, architecture, the urban environment and infrastructure, efficient technology and telecommunications. At the scale of very large facilities such as airports significant changes occurred after the implementation of the American disabilities Act in 1991. What happened after that act as you had quick fixes like this. Certain design TWA terminal in New York. part of the thing that happened with those fixes is all sorts of people with will the luggage racks can use that. Coast factory modification like these Brent compromise the idea of universal design because one should incorporate in excess of way of thinking and intimate design projects from the very start. At the planning and urban scale the present fight against seems to ignore the preferences of most Americans, but at the same time next used commercial developments with residential housing have lots of amenities that will eventually take off and certainly fit your shall design principles and principles for an aging population. The so-called lifestyle committees have distinct universal design attributes. They permit everybody including the elderly and persons with disabilities to forgot the arid center on their own and without having to overcome a great distance regarding transportation. There are historic precedents for this movements which are many of the older cities in Europe. At the national scale of planning we have already seen the light appears to oppress the most in the world when it comes to the implementation of the concept of universal design throughout the entire country all the way down to the community level. As the global level a revolution in telecommunications infrastructure has been occurring in recent years courtesy of the most ubiquitous and universal design dentist, the mobile telephone. Part of what the mobile telephone is doing is eliminating a Digital divide between developing countries, like Africa for example, and lower income countries who don't have the money to build to put in land lines. Alternatively you can get a cell block. Door income populations and the yet states who are truly moving from house to house, the cost of putting in eight and line and the disconnecting this is serving as a garrison design estimate carried it allows our position to communicate where they might not be able to otherwise. There is a negative side to the mobile phone, and this is setting research that we did. It actually finds that as with mobile phones and cars, pedestrians using mobile phones seemed to be less aware of their surroundings. There is this thing called distracted attention. A or research basically got that people using mobile phones as opposed to people not using mobile phones or more with the two walked into the street when cars were coming. There is an issue there. I think we have the next slide. So Wolfgang talks about a paradigm shift that has taken place in recent decades. You can't go to the chart and look at some of the changes. On the one side we have the scientific leaders from Newton and tell them to Einstein. We have some central metaphors that have changed over time. These all point to very positive things in terms of universal design. Next slide. In a result design in the urban problem and urban landscaping parks. Chapters by -- and talk about system performance criteria and applications for urban building skills will be described. And after this talk what I am hoping to do is bring up some of the other clerks speakers. As we go through these and 80 you can think about, the audience as well both your and my, think about other examples that you have seen so we can expand this list of ideas. The principles -- the seven gospels of getting at is that needs to become or quantified and operational so that planners and designers can't use them in their projects. There is a treatable Arkie. It corresponds to the degrees of codification as they exist today. First is held 60 security and performance. That is addressed by many of the codes and regulations. Second is the auction, and efficiency, process performance covered by guidelines which may be internal. Third is social, psychological, cultural performance derived from years of research on studies of the effects of the plants. I think we moved to the next slide I'll of -- for example street crossings is a complex situation, especially when visually impaired travellers are concerned. As he but Jones, traffic lights in some cultures -- for example, in Brazil the author found covers racing through red lights at night while drivers with Green Cross as it approached the intersection cross traffic before proceeding. There has been considerable debate change the National Federation of blood and the American Council applied as to whether some signals that pedestrian crossings are affected. The National Federation rejects that. For example in Japan the approach has been to use both repressed tiles and sound signals. Different issues rise skywalk systems. In Minneapolis the severe climate forces people inside much of the winter, and expensive stocks system has been a credit which is heavily used. On the other hand and since to but Cincinnati with a much milder climate the stock is all but abandoned. A side effect of these skywalks systems where they have been implemented in many garden cities is that they kill street lights below it. The protection from the elements basically kills it. An anecdote about a inaccessibility products, with tours of being a driver of the economy in and Brooks, Scotland acres example of excess above it is a cathedral dedicated to the patron saint of the disabled treated it is located on the Golden Isle and converted into a tourist information center. The cathedral devices name because the main entrance is not a sensible to people with disabilities. It is one dealing with a historic structure, one cannot cover the steps with Grant -- reps. One will have to figure out equal access with clear sign it pointing the way. Then he this sums future research ideas and questions, level courses under and above ground crossing. Above ground second straight skywalk bridges resist underground concourse and connector systems. Its ability treatment of historic structures with a surgeon general public. Next slide. Flexibility of use, the concept provides for free use of existing facilities and is the to five Mexican Tupper uses such as retail corporation, a tent, and connection with housing. Philip land and has to address these as being too soft a place people had for many services, to shop, died. There is a library with the post office. Tick in a movie or concert and to enjoy being in an animated public space. Ben Cardin of the unit near Times notices the listing in our development is per old, and exhibit looking. Another example of planning is an adaptation and the state. In recent years there have been federal lawsuits against major steps to discourage designed according to coat. Harbor, they did not understand that such lines can be disrupted excited and stand up. For example -- and I think he has the wrong -- and Columbus one of our readers actually provided adequate cheating seating for wheelchair users. There is great design in terms of that bird edge surprise occurred persons during the basketball games stood up. That was my bird then the students stood on the seats. Wolfgang says you cannot win. But actually you could win. It you had gone to some of the games you might note that was going to happen and plan accordingly. Feature Research might explore the possibility and applications at the public debt facilities as well as mixed use which combines commercial use with committee service of shopping. You have heard some of that at the conference spurred some of the questions he talks about our downtown revitalization, converting part buildings and lost to commercial use bird there is a vacated store downtown which is an enormous facility. But did the centers of older suburbs in Cincinnati. -- County in Portland Oregon. And the result of town centers and suburbs converting shopping centers in two urban centers. Next slide. Simple and intuitive use, provide accurate and intuitively understand what direction and guidance for plan and design environment which in itself eight GB logical with a minimum of confusion as pedestrians others. Just like this building is so easy for you to find your way around, start. I am not thrilled with this building. Occasionally I have to take its air at it. This is an important issue purred he does not have examples for this one. We may be looking for some ideas in terms of simple and intuitive use.
-- let's shift to the next slide. Perceptible information. This links what we just spoke about systems performance criteria provide for some degree of redundancy might be different senses, especially when one is dealing with the bridges the vehicles, is, and signals using sound or light or even a strobe lights. It was different media like pictograms, touch, or other means up is to stimuli or affirmation. Use hierarchies of letter slides, fonts, colors, and graphic system. In example Bartels and visual clues on the sidewalks and support system platforms. This is in Japan. These are yellow rubber tiles with strict lines which may proceed or dots which indicate stop and reorient. Another example is the distance markers or perhaps with the purpose of critic mental maps and trappers. In the transportation facilities such as airports 30 and sinus symptoms got condition of the information essential to the driver's direction finding is but most important. For example and the Dallas-Fort Worth airport first opened it was but that automated trains and video displays could save a lot of ground personnel. In reality was boarding the train no feedback on the transportation and listen to what's destination was provided. The loop rugs of the train but that with no returns to the outside many passengers would disconnect and travel and circles. Obviously that is a very distressing. Oddly that had to ask for assistance to get out of that system. A recent development that echoes this is the new system in Atlanta, Georgia. There is a system where you would put coins into slots to get onto support system. Et replaced it with a multi level card system so you can buy card for different amounts of money for gift trips. The first one of these was installed at the airport. What happens is, people go to this system and you approach it and look at it and stand there for about five minutes trying to figure out what it is. There is a person standing there next to it. That person will then come over and buy your ticket for you. This person is to fight the system is so poorly designed and turns up 30 that they had to have a staff person there to assist you would make it universal it is sensible, but probably not the best design solution. That is a major airport we have millions of people coming through. In addition, to that this system is about to go throughout the whole subway system. Wolfgang and I don't know whether they will be able to hire staff for every stop where you could buy a ticket. It is in interesting poorly designed not tested systems. Large hospitals hospitals as we all know, they frequently at and add and add and change and revised. Finding your way through and giving people a clear way funding system becomes per difficult. Treating it good redundant system would be pictured it helpful. We need to develop science control ordinance. Devise specialized organs for tactical Sun systems and platforms distance predictable local usable sonnets for sports venues like the Olympic spirit I will add an example that Wolfgang has not put in there. We have been exchanging India's. The signing system was designed not in the building, but outside. It was designed by a weight find expert. They went through a whole series of studies to find the places people want to get to. They put up simple science to see whether if you were walking by within a period of two seconds, could you read this side better than that side. They did some tests before putting besides upper that seems to be one of the good models. Next slide. Tolerance for error, make and varmints secure and safe to use by all. Part of this is the need for accessible sidewalks. Deborah who is blind describe that excess will such are the most important criteria were selecting a place to live. They do exist in urban areas. A need to be free of obstruction, cracked concrete, and other obstacles which might cause a visually impaired person and any of us to fall or get injured. Special elevators for emergency evacuations from high rise buildings our an example of crop progress being made. A recent study in The Wall Street Journal discussed ... if the four tall building users including rescue personnel. They recommend fire fighter elevators. These are abettors that this could go down. Why is it that country's building codes in Europe and most of Asia require these lives, although the rules differ. In the United States we not only for good people to go down, but the firefighters cannot use of it is to go up and help people to evacuate. In 1993 they had to walk up the World Trade Center's. Then from 9/11 -- from the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina one could are you for universal design. He does not list some research questions here for the hostess-be how to get some of these electrician procedures in place. Next slide. Local physical effort, system performance criteria. Find ways to reduce the expenditure of effort to minimize repetitive actions at all scales of the environment. This effort idea has certain important applications or did this and commercial environments. There is research that shows where people had to could critter effort. They are less likely to use that. At least in a commercial argument one could say, let's make it easier. An example of affordable and excess will must transportation in South America and a great result is a rapid transit system that has been developed and use a dedicated high-speed lane. Bus stations have ramps on either side. We can go to the next slide. The best stations up ramps on either side. One is level with the four of the bus meaning they can be filled rapidly. People movers are means to minimize the scope of it with having to cover long distances like in the airports. If you look at the top left picture, when it comes to individual as public transportation like taxis London is considered the most detestable city and the world. All Texas must upfold up ramps which take a few seconds to put in place. Older model touches have to up one of these ramps and the truck. In addition, the studies are very comfortable. They had high ceilings and multiple seat configurations. For example one can put a seat belt around once wheelchair. On the other hand subways are not accessible at all, except the recently built jubilee. Future ideas and future questions up separate high-speed lanes need to be revised in mid their affairs for buses and taxis only. People mover systems where they carry large numbers of systems in the idea of excess will Texas. Next slide. Size and shape for a purge and use, system performance or petitions. For cities to be mobile sometimes they are described as to be adjustable from the perspective is just pedestrian distances. That means, be able to enter all the services of shopping, Library, and churches within walking distance from someone's home or pocket. We operate in principle, was integration, not suppression of use. This is a mixed. Mixed use calls for a high rise building with residential at the top, a hotel under the and other pieces below. Reset at the street level and finally an underground parking lot. Japan has a long history of multiple vertical mixed uses partly because of the price of lead there. Of the zones as well as retail shopping centers. I we will not be announced this right. This building in Tokyo connects the Japanese Red station and the city block is being rebuilt read the system of underground shopping arcades and tunnels being fed by traffic generated by hundreds of thousands of trucks pass is going to it every day. It is used for exhibits and public gatherings and at the top level that has a free during. For the public. The building itself has become a public destination even though it is a private property. On a smaller scale many of the to to use a great many outside developed area at are playing catch-up with the increasing need for to the needs for support facilities. An example of the schools in Westchester are no. Recently the high school's plan for basing concept in mind. A large want merely used as did it break areas, but also for community events such as public affairs. Similarly the definition and function of to the library's has changed. They now provide bidding groups for buses and to the defense. In example from this camp as the eye of state in ursid library is being remodeled and the ground floor will be acres Cross access which is open to the public with shops and coffee shops around it to make it more publicly accessible. Then we have a series of slides here. Let's go to the next slide. These are just some examples. He said that it was reported that I include this next set of slides, talking about a different kind of disability. Let's go to the next slide. And the next one. He was wondering how the dog could actually read this side. Again, how did the dog know what this sign was telling the dog to do. Next one. This is a working dog. It has some wheel for support for it. I guess this is the idea considering the needs of all animals. Next one. So this is a description update process that underlines all of this. Give me a second. It is a circular process. It you look from the outer circle on the top left, you of market needs analysis that goes to effect this recoup all Program Review, design review, post construction product evaluation, post documents the correct use attrition. In sign we up planning, programming, design, construction production. There is this ongoing thing of design, a federation, design, evaluation. To the slide which is a new paradigm of the way of looking at things. This idea of involving performance criteria, Safety, Security, function, and efficiency, workflow, psychological, social, and culture. Next slide. And a set of performance criteria, equitable use, flexible and use, simple and intuitive use, perceptible but permission, tolerance for error, both physical effort, size and space for part of years. These are what we have been talking about through the presentation. I think we just have some books that are sort of showing the movement of universal designs. It is a home design book for you folks. Next slide. The universal design handbook which is also on display in the bucket. Next slide. Next slide okay. I wanted to thank you for Wolfgang. What we will do is, these are the principles we talked about. I want to bring up the plenary speakers that are still here and see if they have some thoughts, as he did come on trying to extend these beyond the individual house to the urban climate and the urban area. What we will do is, I will ask them a few questions and then we will open next to the province or questions. I can't have the common people us questions because I'm not sure I can answer them. Yes? I am inviting the plenary speakers to come. Those who are here, if you would join me at the microphone, yes to? Tons for error, go through the next slide. There is a little bit more detailed definitions. Go to the next slide. If you want to see what each of these are you can read through them. So we need you to come over this way. Can you come this way as well to give? For the people who are online, I have been asked if you would state your name before asking your question. You don't have to feel obligated to speak. People might have questions for you as well.
This is Dick Duncan. One of the things that is obvious that you ever tried to extract principles from a particular design or by principles to a particular design is that, there are multiple principals that might apply to any particular design. You might have two or three of them that works well. I think that happens with a lot of work with the principles and trying to get them to beat one in a practice. Wolfgang did a good job of extracting some key elements as he was going through these examples that he had. What they didn't have a chance to show you this morning was a couple of projects that deal with, I think, a principal one, equitable use and principal seven which is size and space for purchase and use. One of them I will mention now and and it over to someone else. There is an interesting project in Tucson. Is it to some persons still here? I did not have a chance to mention this bird you are probably familiar with the armory dolls sold project you live next door to it. I visited there in March and was so impressed with it on a number of different levels. It is a near the urban core center of Tucson and is redeveloped. It has all the homes built in and energy efficient manner as well as universally designed. It was a very tough first design standard applied to the exterior of each home. To top all the homes are on slab. It makes it easy. There are all able to be walked in or will in. I assume that when you buy them you can adapt the interior. That is a great example of applying on a very broad level. There is maybe a hundred to cut about 95 units there. So it is a wonderful example of that to an entire infield subdivision in an urban area. One area I did not have a problem with this as a result of the work that is done, they are not that a portable. They were not able to conclude this, but they are awfully nice looking.
You can't just set it right up on the --
Is difficult to add something, but when I saw the presentation of that Jack did for Wolfgang, I saw some issues that are a very important. The psychological effect, the social effect, many persons talked about social stability and our mental sustainability. I think things must go together. The psychological effects are very important for me. They are very important stopped just me being a person with a disability, but for anyone who lives with a person with disabilities. When I talked yesterday when I did my presentation, I can give an example. My personal experience, my social experience, not even in Brazil, but here. This is the first time I am travelling along and I have some problems, some difficulties. Psychologically sometimes I feel that even been here in a hotel completely accessible and completely different than I find in Brazil, sometimes I must try, I must feel secure. I must feel that I can't do -- can do and make me better with persons and everybody. This is universal design for the. I can't say any more. Many persons talked a lot, in the principles should be plain ever. By professionals, teachers I believe to say I have been walking around today for a few days that I have been here in Ohio, and I came to the United States for a few times. To say that you are better than Brazil got things are changing there. We have a different future. We have other things going. We have good things there. I can say any more. I would like to make another presentation, but just to say that the most important thing and the press was up universal design is this, we secure -- this is universal. I won't say any more.
Well, I think [ INDISCERNIBLE ] this is very much [ INDISCERNIBLE ] and also owned think about one has studied standards of its disability and motors and centimeters and so can appreciate the great volume of the seven principles. It is very difficult to boil all these things down to 70% or principles. Anyhow, there has been discussion on a number of issues like the birds was because the definition itself is the one that carries the concept and you are so designed. We have some questions from organizations or people with disabilities. There is a policy now when it comes to pollution, of course we are reducing pollution. We need to reduce the amount of trees that produce a version -- halogens. I know they cut down on the use of -- for SS. How would a principle that includes this and other types of policies fit into the concept of universal design? Do you have any good ideas?
Thank you. This Jack Nacer is again. I will ask them all what were questioned and then hopefully we can turn it over to the audience. Does this is that I saw there seems to be an issue that most of us know as been going on for 30 or 40 years. I first came across in a version designed in 1975. There was an accessible house using standard off the shelf products that many real estate and builders could build at no extra cost. The issue that has come up is, what is the resistance and how do we overcome the resistance from various groups that are out there. Interestingly the three speakers here are from three different countries. I am interested in the political coalition building issues. How do you go about making change? We know it takes time, 30 to 40 years. The question has to do with what -- is it reforming an argument or getting certain groups together at the table, what ever? This is probably an unanswerable question. I will turn it over to each of you to talk about in your own context and and we will open it up for more questions.
State your name first. You will need to come up to the mike. That is good.
Jack, what is the change? I believe today I was talking with Lesley who works with Duncan, and I believe that here you have the moment of disability, person with a disability. They are stronger. This is what we do not have their in Brazil, just to give my experience. I believe that the change is political, and the change is a person. We need to talk to and to be together. What happens in my country that one person -- I must admit that I work in my University in my city, but I believe that we must work together. This is what we don't do there in Brazil. And for me the moment here is stronger. We need to change this to change the political way with years of design -- Universal design. I believe that the changes go together in a global way. I am talking too much. You want to talk?
My name is Olav. There is a clear shift from the politicians and the countries that I know of. When you shift from talking about welfare for people with disabilities and you shift to nondiscrimination universal issues, what we are seeing I think in Europe and Scandinavia is that there is an emphasis on the situation for people with disabilities. There are will for states. They have social stood solutions for college and so on. For many years it has been a special sector with special issues. With the shift now to human rights issues and ideology, the politicians say we can't have this. We have to do these things right now. Still the problem of course is economy, the interest to go deeper into this and use more money, getting the issues higher. The agenda is much more visible. Also it is a strategy our concept of universal design. The politicians find it easier to addressed issues with concerns more people. Universal design concerns people with disabilities in particular, but it also addresses the whole committee. From academic schools like this one it provides good ideas and solutions. I also have fit in a politician's that see that this is more than just for people with disabilities. It is a important question for the credit side is. Thank you.
This is Dick Duncan talking. I will take your question and apply it to the area of housing. A lot of the answers to that question implied threat the last couple of days. I have certainly had is conversation with people as well. One way to describe it is there have been to tracks toward getting is adopted by the housing industry. One is the market based track which is to say you educate consumers and you come up with designs additions. You hope that people grasped the concept and grow. The other track is a policy based track where you have ordinances, local, state level. You pass laws or maybe even federal legislation. In both of those tracks you heard examples up here today from disability or this is a local covers to inducements to induce builders to attract them towards this. On the market based track of course if consumers suddenly started to make commercial houses from their builders the builders would very quickly shift towards supplying universal housing. It is an obvious effect. The solution to that might be even greater attention, some big robust large nationwide multi variate consumer public relations campaign that would convince them it is a good idea. Killed when it tried a state level version of that that would not have gotten off the ground. It was a public service announcement, video public-service announcement for TV. Sometimes I get despondent. I should some of these feelings are there today. The market is not it is catching up. By the time this might eventually gets will and good traction it will be so far behind that all those negative societal impacts, much less all the brains of personal assaults will be affected by this. You want of the cousin available. Maybe we should just put all our efforts into passing national legislation or move state-by-state. People may not be making dresses on an individual will but would prove beneficial to the long term. That is a debate I am happy to hear people's responses to. This is your four. I will get it back to you.
We will open it up too -- thank you very much for your comments. We will open it up to questions on it from. On nine we have four questions which. We will take one of those first.
I will ask the first one. This is from Susan. Are any of you to allow some of occupational therapists in your reversal design work to kill?
Are any of you using an occupational therapist and your universal design work?
They are asking the panelists.
This is Olav. Of course we are. We are hard-pressed to find another profession that knows so much about man and the environment at least in part country many official purpose are there.
Anyone else care to respond to that?
Want to do another one?
The next question is from teenine. Is there an example where vulnerable populations, low income people have fully participated in a universal design principles in helping develop communities?
Could you hear him read that in the back?
Can you repeat?
I can repeat the question. It is from Tina. Is there an example where it vulnerable populations low income people of a fully participated in universal design principles and helping develop communities?
For my experience in Basel, yes, I can say that, yes, we help low income people there that are leeds on disability, but not on universal design. Never shall design and Brazil is something very new. They don't even know what universal design is and what the principles of universal design are. So they are leed on disability. -- excess ability. They fight for their rights. The low income people there in Brazil, they are in different parts of the society fighting. This is what I can say. Not on universal design, but on accessibility. All around the counter we have a country of all what pattern 80 million. There are many port cities. We have many slums. We have great leeds there.
This is Dick button. I will answer that question in a very small personal way. As I showed earlier two different habitat for humanity project that were built by the people that live in the country that exposure is part of that process. We were involved in one of those two projects treacly. I know that some of the individuals who broke into those homes were part of the design process that costs money the hopes to fit themselves and Pete did. There was an interesting aspect. We are about to embark on a new one. I wish I could remember the official name for it, but it is coming from ability magazine which we have copies up around here somewhere. They sponsor people with disabilities building homes for people with disabilities including eight residents themselves. Beginning a project in Johnson County Florida. It will be an exciting prospect for us and what that are actually building in the design spurred that is a small answer to that question.
Okay. We end up another question.
Are there any questions in the room here?
One in the back.
People with disabilities -- [ INDISCERNIBLE ] are usually [ INDISCERNIBLE ] and I notice one of the principles was -- [ INDISCERNIBLE ] does the fact that it is portable come into play? I am wondering. It has been around for 30 or 40 years, is it gaining momentum? Or has it slowed down recently?
Okay. The question is in the U.S. often times people -- low income people are in need of universal design and one of the principles was the ability and the question had to do with and affordability in financial support systems for that part is the first part of the question purred we will do both parts purred the second part was, this has been around for 30 to 40 years. This is basically a question about the future. Is the government at the local, state, and federal level approving or going backwards or staying still? Did I get you right?
This is Dick Duncan. Let's see if I can tackle that. What was the first part? Thank you. I mentioned the process we are embarking on now to reexamine the principles over the next year and see how they fit after 10 years of practice and working. One issue that just come up repeatedly is to make explicit what is implied in principle number one, which you accurately start right in on. We need to make explicit the fact that it has to be affordable. If it is not affordable it might as well not be available at all. Your point is well taken and others have noted that as well. You might be able to purchase a bit in the debate on that and get your voice to that. The second part is -- which again relates to some of my dark thoughts of the occasion which is you have to face the fact that most of the advances in the excess body and use of the environment of this country have come about as a result of what's up struggle, legal action, social action, social protest and a loss that have been passed. This goes back as far as the architectural barriers and to in the rehab act and the Housing Amendments Act in 88. This is the stuff that is put into place in most of the excess blood and the adult target we now have. Thankfully the design and construction committees over 50 years and have done better. They have gotten better at transitioning almost on their own from being drawn it sensible to being separate but equal and cases to being stigmatized and special and different to really achieving as time goes on with in the examples a more unified integrated approach to achieving its disability which is around the barn. In the nonresidential buildings aren't because all those things are in place I would have to give a thumbs up and say things are moving forward. You can't even see some convergence and building code. So there won't be so much variability overtime. In terms of housing it is also multifamily housing and for housing in an insect, publicly funded housing from other federal laws with some requirements that go in there. Off of that, yes, other things have happened within states to acquire in multifamily housing to set aside for accessible polling spurred whatever purpose we have which is happening is happening outside of the multifamily housing in the single-family or duplex areas. All of that is good. The other part of your question was, are there particular areas that are to be more than others and the housing area to keep I will take suggestions from the audience, but I am speaking the places that I can think of like Massachusetts, California, I know North Carolina and Minnesota come to mind, Pa., I know we hear a lot of a jury from there. What are places that people -- say again? Illinois I guess, yes. So get that point we are staying within the states from committee to committee there may be particular thing is happening more than on a state level. I'm not sure that is a complete answer. Others might be able to chime in.
I am talking a lot, but I just want to add something in what I said. We have leads and low income populations in Brazil, but sometimes what it happens is that they don't have a chance for education or access to other important issues and the Society bird they don't have access to work, and some of them don't have a wheelchair get around the city. They fight, but sometimes they need to survive. They need to have successful education. This happens. I don't want to say this, to show you the worst part of the country, but this happens. Many persons with disabilities there in Brazil are from low income people. The low income population. I can drive my car, I can have access, I can work inside the in your city, but the great majority of the population, they cannot even have access to a good education. This is what I wanted to add. I did not want, but I had.
Do we have an on line one?
This is from Rio. Kindly comment on the need for behavior and attitude adjustment needed by society to acknowledge and incorporate the principles of universal design into land development housing and building construction.
Did you hear it and it backed?
Shall I repeat it?
Yes, go through it one more time. Repeat it one more time just in case.
The question was, currently comment on the need for behavior and attitude adjustment needed by society to acknowledge and incorporate the principles of universal design into a land development, housing, and building construction.
If you did not hear it in the back is the question of the edge to adjust needed for building construction trades purred we have a member of the audience. Give your name first.
So Bill Sullivan. I think our attitude adjustment needs help from our federal government. It the -- public buildings accessible. I think now we need legislation that addresses adults housing. There are many many large corporations in this country, and I investigated several of them in terms of what just adult housing me. Usually it means 55 or older, and unfortunately they used the label to provide housing, but they do not provide stability. There is one very large development in Hilton Head, South Carolina that I visited a number of years ago. And they showed these wonderful wonderful model houses and condos. Not one of them was accessible. So I asked how do we deal with this? And they said, well you can pay $14,000 we will what in the doorways and we will modify the house. This seems to be the attitude. I think the only way we are going to make any strides for it is going to be legislation very similar to the 88 that addresses, if you use the term adults or retirement or something along those lines with the term housing it must be universal design or at least accessible with no step entry, one bathroom and one bedroom on the first floor.
Thank you. We have a couple of questions from the audience.
Hearing Sylvia, I agree with that spirit this is universal design, and we have all these children. The best children could also benefit from universal design. I think children and older adults are bit of a disadvantage in the housing market we have today.
That was made from on-line who had an exhibit that many of our purpose was took a tour on. She was saying we overlook the fact that universal design also applies to children, and both children and older residents in the population can benefit from the at the end of universal design. Did we ever questions on line?
We have one common from Yura. I think that Virginia brought up a good point, the release is shipped between disability rights or the disability rights but and the universal design is not substantially referred to in this conference. I think that this is an important point to review in history and incorporate in the future.
Thank you. We have another question back there.
Actually it is 85.
Another comment?
It is a comment. [ INDISCERNIBLE ] I'm not sure how to get sued that. You can say your name also if you want.
Hi, this is -- that is good. This is car lot. And one of our success today. This young lady pointed out the house was rebuilt after the San Diego earthquakes. I just came from the disaster stricken Gulf Coast region. We have opportunities, if anyone wants to go out and push while they are rebuilding after disasters, while there is federal money floating around that we attack some of these visitability and universal design features at the start and new builds. I would say my estimation is over two dozen homes and the Gulf region, and the federal government is helping to finance at least a hundred and 50,000 of those. Plus the remodeling and total relocations, total rebuilds plus the remodeling of the disaster. It is after a disaster often when people are willing to consider starting over and taking in some of these features. So it is a missed opportunity if you have any advocates that want to go down to the gulf.
What a great idea. And the market will show that it works and convince other developers to follow suit.
We have one more question on line and one wore in the room. Then we will wrap it up three.
This last on my question is from teenine. Is there a diversity of attitude a comet and the pursuit of advancing a universal design is in the or is there a division of principle and the area of pursuing people's rights to a livelihood and the attempt to advance a universal design principles?
I can hear you very well, thanks.
Anyone want to answer that one. Is there a division of attitude or principal? While that person Reds -- the panel is having difficulty understanding the question. Maybe you could rephrase it.
I was curious to know if there could be to national organizations that could avert the up to teetoo piggyback and really maximize as an opportunist -- number one is have a jet for humanity, Jimmy Carter's program. Those houses which are built for low become portable. Are they universally designed? Number two, says we are all one with television what about all those programs, the makeovers and all that emotional nonsense to give is that your split designed?
The question is -- secondly, the television we are all numbered with has these macabre programs, are they doing any houses made over with universally designed?
Not universal design, but they have done them for several disabled children or disabled adults.
So the answer from Soviet is, yes, the TV program has had some makeovers for disabled children and adults but not quite universal design. So that is in up to the wedding to happen. I think Dick has already spoken about a number of habitat examples bird do we have a recording on that one question?
We do have a prize from teenine. In our pursuit to advance universal design principles do we sacrifice the need to address the site against Prop. as in people's rights to a livelihood to give?
, on up from the audience. Announce your name.
My name is a joke testament. I was a presenter. I think that is something we do need to work on. We need to work on a universal design as being part of this. Sure we have flexible homes and homes that are made for people with disabilities, but you sometimes have to wonder about what is the point? There are a lot of people out there with disabilities who have low incomes which provides most of them from getting into the workforce with those types of features. We do need to find ways to integrate people with disabilities into the mainstream of North American society. Part of that is an accessible environment, especially and accessible work place so they can get into the workplace, but separate, and then they would have is income which allows them to buy a universal on. Yes, we do need to integrate your vessel designed with the overall benefit of people with disabilities. What we really need to start doing is putting in at the educational levels. I did this is really important for the design fields. It is not just enough to know about the basic principles and features of universal design and visibility and accessibility. You need to understand the problems that people with disabilities face, and we need to -- and the design professionals needs to change their attitudes. Generally designers have often had this attitude that they are better than society and they can impose their views on society. Is the other way around. The design profession needs to start changing their attitudes towards people with a disability instead of separating them. Look at them as people who need to be protected and looked after. There are people who have been my sliced and you need to bring them into the mainstream of society.
Hi Olav had something he wanted to stay on that question also.
I'm afraid I don't know much about his disability, but obviously there might be a collision here. The cost of the drugs becomes higher and it's ability is required. I suppose you know more about this. What I would like to address is what kind of measures would be done to achieve results. Discussed the 88 law -- it was rather confusing in Europe. We saw that this law was the cause of the downfall of industries. It was amazing what this law actually achieved, but somebody had to pay. Usually we didn't think that this would happen. America -- it was done. We feel also that if you ask anybody if it's disability and a dorsal design is necessary, they would say yes. It is necessary for each individual. And it is necessary for every is right. It is a German right. It is quite obvious, I believe, that the American politicians are able to make decisions to bring this higher on the agenda and possibly get results. And that will be through a war legislation call for assistance. As they have shown previously but they are experts on this. People that go from your to the United States come back what stars in their eyes saying that the ADA works. I think we have a great opportunity here.
We want to thank all of our speakers, and I want to thank all of the presenters the artists who made this a great conference. Give everyone a round of applause. If people want to stay around and talk a little bit more, but will oppose on the plenary speakers of that want to hang out a little bit. Jennifer has a couple of announcers before you go. I think the people of mind as well for participating.