Description
Editorial information: Finnish Ministry of Environment.
The goal of the Universal Design principle is to create a functional, safe and accessible built environment that takes people’s different needs into account. The design principle is used to create environments that give all people equal possibilities to move, work, see, hear, understand and communicate. The Universal Design principle is a means to building an equal and inclusive society.
The concept of Universal Design originated in the United States in the 1960s and 1970s. The use of the term became established in the Nordic countries when it was defined in the 2006 United Nations Convention on the Human Rights of Persons with Disabilities. As the population ages, the Universal Design principle is becoming increasingly important, and it is now widely considered to be beneficial to all members of society and improve everyone’s quality of life.
Universal Design is a process that runs throughout a construction project, all the way to the use of the finished building or environment. Engaging users and listening to their views, as well as understanding and addressing their needs, are part of the design process.
This report provides a background to Universal Design and how it relates to other design principles as well as looking at its implementation through example practices, solutions and sites.
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