Inclusiveness is in question

/ Urbanism /

An inclusive approach to the design of buildings or public spaces is not at all a whim or a gesture of good will of architects, but a requirement regulated by state regulations. Despite this, the cities of Ukraine are still very far from being open and convenient for everyone. Who is to blame and what to do? We addressed these and other questions to those who directly affect the accessibility of the urban environment.

Dmytro Aranchiy

Dmytro Aranchii Architects, Kyiv

Dmytro Aranchiy

1. In your opinion, what is the top priority for inclusiveness when it comes to designing new architectural objects and public spaces for Ukrainian cities?

Probably the first. Architects have to think about real values, and inclusivity ensures equality for all and complements people's freedom with freedom of movement.

2. Rate how inclusive is the city you live in?

On a ten-point scale: 10-15 years ago — 2 points, now — 3,5.

3. What is the main obstacle to our urban environment becoming inclusive and barrier-free?

Laziness, incompetence, lack of critical thinking.

Inclusiveness ensures equality for all

4. Do inclusive norms and requirements limit the creativity of architects or, on the contrary, make it possible to evaluate the project from a new perspective?

Does common sense limit us? True creativity is possible only under certain limitations.

5. Give examples of the most interesting, in your opinion, inclusive objects in world practice.

The largest, which have been used for a long time, are "London Olympic Park", "Madrid Rio" park.

 

Yulia Danilova

DOMIO Group, Kyiv

Yulia Danilova

1. In your opinion, what is the top priority for inclusiveness when it comes to designing new architectural objects and public spaces for Ukrainian cities?

When designing new public places, inclusiveness must definitely take one of the first places. In the modern world, it is necessary to respect the rights of every person, and all people are equal in the right of movement, right? Universality of design is the norm, not an excess.

2. How inclusive is the city you live in?

Most public spaces in Kyiv, which were built 20 or more years ago, unfortunately, do not correspond well to the concept of universality. It gives the impression that ramps and railings were installed only to comply with construction standards and regulations, because it is difficult to use them, as practice shows. But we are very pleased that in recent years more and more attention is paid to the problem of accessibility, and public places of the new generation are designed for conscience.

3. What is the main obstacle to our urban environment becoming inclusive and barrier-free?

Of course, this obstacle is indifference. In order for our urban environment to become more accessible, inclusive and barrier-free, it is necessary, first of all, to recognize the right to a dignified existence in society of people with disabilities and groups with reduced mobility.

When designing public facilities, one should think about how a mother with a stroller will enter a given public place, will the child be able to open the doors independently, is it convenient for a person in a stroller or crutches to wash their hands in the restroom?

Universality of design is the norm, not an excess

4. Do inclusive norms and requirements limit the creativity of architects or, on the contrary, allow them to evaluate the project from a new perspective?

Inclusive norms, on the contrary, make it possible to evaluate the project from a new perspective and implement it with greater creative value and social responsibility.

5. Give examples of the most interesting, in your opinion, inclusive objects in world practice.

The world is moving and developing in this direction, it is becoming accessible and that is wonderful! Traveling around the world, we collect such objects as examples, such as, for example, the opera house in Hamburg (by the way, there is also an amazing museum-exposition for the hard of hearing and the deaf), the Natural Sciences Museum of Barcelona Blau, the Solomon Guggenheim Museum - an art museum in New York , and it is impossible not to mention the Louvre in Abu Dhabi — an art museum that opened in 2017.

There are enough wonderful world objects, and all we have to do is take an example and make the world accessible to everyone and everyone!

 

Natalia Ovcharenko

Chief architect of Mariupol

Natalia Ovcharenko

1. In your opinion, what is the top priority for inclusiveness when it comes to designing new architectural objects and public spaces for Ukrainian cities?

One of the first wishes: the city environment should be comfortable and ergonomic for all residents and guests, including people with disabilities.

2. How inclusive is the city you live in?

In Mariupol, inclusivity is of great importance: they install tactile tiles, ramps, lifts, and conduct events for the visually impaired.

The urban environment should be comfortable and ergonomic for all residents and guests

3. What is the main obstacle to our urban environment becoming inclusive and barrier-free?

The existing planning situation, in which it is not always possible to implement inclusive measures (for example, there is not enough width of corridors, platforms for installing ramps).

4. Do inclusive norms and requirements limit the creativity of architects or, on the contrary, allow them to evaluate the project from a new perspective?

No

5. Give the most interesting, in your opinion, examples of inclusive objects in world practice.

Children's playgrounds in Europe with special equipment for children with limited physical abilities.

 

Oleksandr Svystunov

Chief architect of Kyiv

Oleksandr Svystunov

Kyiv is a modern European city that should be mobile. Today, the accessibility of the city and its individual elements for the less mobile population groups is becoming the main requirement of the society. Yes, we are all different, but at the same time we all need equal opportunities. Therefore, for me personally, the chief architect of Kyiv, the issue of inclusive architecture in the capital is always a priority.

Every time, reviewing the next projects of various objects, both volumetric design and public spaces, I pay considerable attention to the issue of compliance with building regulations, in particular the accessibility of these objects. It is nice to note that Kyiv is becoming more open and comfortable for people with special needs every year. Yes, the city is far from ideal, but every day we work to make it more comfortable for Kyiv residents and guests of the capital.

Last year, the Kyiv City Council approved the city's target program "Kyiv without barriers". According to it, the task of each structural division of the Kyiv city government was to ensure the improvement of accessibility conditions at each location. Yes, we are gradually eliminating the shortcomings of the architecture of the Soviet Union, which in principle did not take into account the existence of people with disabilities.

Every year, Kyiv becomes more open and convenient for people with special needs

Today, the city is in constant contact with public organizations of people with disabilities and works together with them to improve our capital. Thus, the arrangement of the overpass across Khreshchatyk Street near the Central Department Store was a great victory. This made it possible to simplify the movement of central streets for people who cannot use the underground passages. Another good example of accessibility was the reconstruction of Livoberezhnaya Square and the construction of an inclusive sports ground in Natalka Park in Obolon. Kyiv has always focused on its European neighbors, for example, Poland, where high standards of inclusiveness are observed. We have just started this journey, and I hope that the capital will become much more accessible in the near future.

I am sure that professional architects who understand the needs of every resident and guest of our city should contribute to the process of Kyiv's transformation. A good architect can only be considered a specialist who, before starting the design, entered the role of a person with a disability, a mother with a stroller, a woman in high heels, and a blind person, and only then started work. And the most important thing: we must remember that each of us is a link of a progressive and tolerant society, in which it is unacceptable to ignore the different needs of each other.

 

Julian Chaplinsky

Deputy Minister of Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine for European Integration, former chief architect of Lviv

Julian Chaplinsky

1. In your opinion, what is the top priority for inclusiveness when it comes to designing new architectural objects and public spaces for Ukrainian cities?

Inclusivity in our country, unfortunately, is still only at the initial stage of awareness. In Germany, every seventh person is considered inclusive. This is not only a disabled person in a wheelchair, but also a young mother with a baby carriage, a frail pensioner, a small child or, ultimately, an overweight person. Despite the fact that the DBN already has sections on measures to improve conditions for inclusion, new facilities have been implemented and put into operation that clearly do not meet these standards. Architectural schools still pay little attention to this issue. In my opinion, realizing the importance of designing with inclusion in mind will fundamentally change the architectural decisions of new buildings. For example, the basement floors will disappear, there will be fewer stairs, and the vertical planning will involve ramp-like surfaces.

2. Rate how inclusive is the city you live in?

Lviv has done a lot to ensure the needs of inclusion: without exception, all projects of reconstruction and repair of streets or squares take this into account. For example, on Mytniy Square before the reconstruction, there were two wide steps that crossed the entire square. An absolutely ridiculous decision, after the reconstruction they were taken away, and the square became more accessible and safer. You can also often see completely raised pedestrian crossings - the priority of the pedestrian is obvious. Although the city has made a big breakthrough in this direction, unfortunately, many street designers prefer the traffic of cars, not the safety of pedestrians.

3. What is the main obstacle to our urban environment becoming inclusive and barrier-free?

There are several obstacles: first of all, it is necessary to start with laws and building regulations, safety as the basis of the project must be written from above, then - the maximum distribution in educational institutions, as well as work with society: people must be aware of this and demand that local authorities take into account the interests of all segments of the population .

4. Do inclusive norms and requirements limit the creativity of architects or, on the contrary, make it possible to evaluate the project from a new perspective?

I believe that absolutely do not limit. All modern public buildings in Europe, concert halls, museums, office buildings, which have become places of pilgrimage for architects, take into account the needs of inclusiveness. This is the problem of the older generation of architects who support postmodernist views. I once heard from one such person that a high curb on the street adds monumentality to buildings. Or high plinths and stairs also greatly magnify the building. Such architectural egoism is complete stupidity and does not correspond to the needs and requirements of today.

5. Give examples of the most interesting, in your opinion, inclusive objects in world practice.

There are many of them. Opera in Copenhagen or opera in Oslo, any modern town hall in Germany, after all, the Sheptytskyi Center in Lviv fully takes into account all European requirements.

 

Mykhailo Shaidenko

Chief architect of Odessa

Mykhailo Shaidenko

1. In your opinion, what is the top priority for inclusiveness when it comes to designing new architectural objects and public spaces for Ukrainian cities?

When designing new architectural objects and public spaces for Ukrainian cities, inclusiveness should occupy one of the priority places and be included in the five most significant factors. It is a symbol of the social orientation of the work of architects and the development of society in general.

2. Rate how inclusive is the city you live in?

According to the Department of Architecture and Urban Planning, the state of inclusiveness in Odesa can be assessed as good. In recent years, the city's municipal services, together with public organizations and investors, have made great strides in creating accessible space. Planned work continues on the capital repair of pedestrian and transport networks, residential and public facilities with the arrangement of the necessary elements for unhindered and convenient movement of persons with disabilities. Technical devices are more often used in areas where the relief or requirements for the protection of cultural heritage objects do not allow for the installation of regulatory ramps. Many units of public transport, public places, recreational areas, parking lots that meet the requirements of inclusiveness have appeared in the city. Thus, in Odesa, a tourist route has been developed and tours of the historical center of the city are held for people with disabilities. There are three special beaches and a diving center, which are equipped taking into account the needs of people with disabilities. Accessibility is ensured in the single Center for the provision of administrative and social integrated services in the premises of the new city hall on Kosivska Street, 2d, the reconstruction project of which was awarded the European Property Awards 2018. Inclusive education became possible in the European Lyceum of the city thanks to the elevators and ramps installed during the renovation of the building . By the way, the elevator was installed in the process of arranging the Greek Park in the city center, which makes it accessible to all categories of the population. According to the city's target program "Equality", during the capital repair of the objects of the city's street and road network, all intersections and sidewalks are equipped with ramps and tactile tiles.

Inclusiveness is also observed during the overhaul of medical institutions. Thus, recently, Odesa City Clinical Hospital No. 11 opened a gynecology department equipped with special chairs for patients with disabilities. Currently, three barrier-free (inclusive) playgrounds are being built in different areas of the city. Buses adapted for the transportation of persons with disabilities operate on 23 routes of the city. Their schedule is published every month on the official website of Odessa. All new tram cars and trolleybuses that enter the city's routes meet accessibility requirements. As part of the implementation of the "Public Budget" project, miniature copies of them for people with vision problems are installed near architectural monuments in the city center. Children's rehabilitation center named after Boris Litvak (known as the "House with an Angel"), the Center for the Rehabilitation of People with Psychophysical Developmental Disabilities (on Gaidar St. and Kosmonavtiv St.) to work with families raising children with disabilities, as well as opening inclusive resource centers in every district of the city. We have a large amount of work on the further reconstruction of the architectural environment and we hope for excellent results over time.

The main condition for our city to become inclusive and barrier-free is the formation of citizens' consciousness

3. What is the main obstacle to our urban environment becoming inclusive and barrier-free?

In order for our city to become inclusive and barrier-free, it is important to form the consciousness of citizens, to feel the social importance of work to ensure accessibility conditions, and to understand the problem by all members of society.

It should be noted that the implementation of specific design requirements is mandatory, because it is provided by state building regulations. However, there is currently a question of the quality of the adopted project decisions, as well as their uncompromising implementation. An equally important task is to ensure the conditions for further maintenance in proper condition, operation, timely repair and maintenance of landscaping elements and technical means. It is necessary to convey to all responsible persons the opinion about the need for an informal, careful attitude to this matter, the implementation of project decisions, despite the existing material and technical difficulties.

4. Do inclusive norms and requirements limit the creativity of architects or, on the contrary, make it possible to evaluate the project from a new perspective?

Inclusive norms and requirements partially limit the creativity of architects, because they force them to reject some project options. But this applies to any state building regulations. The creativity of architects lies precisely in the ability to combine functional and constructive factors and at the same time achieve artistic expressiveness. The world experience of designing new and reconstruction of existing public facilities shows the possibility of enriching the architectural image by smoothly combining volumes, installing original ramps, elevators and lifts, special lighting and tactile means of orientation.

5. Give examples of the most interesting, in your opinion, inclusive objects in world practice.

  • Museum of Contemporary Art in Eskişehir (Turkey)
  • St. Mary's Cathedral in Sydney (Australia)
  • City Oceanarium in Sharjah (UAE)
  • Queen Sofia Art Center in Madrid (Spain)
  • Museum of Modern Art named after Solomon Guggenheim in New York (USA)
  • Central railway station in Berlin (Germany)