Public Policy

A 'Universal Design' Mentality and Culture in Development - Processes and Dynamics in Europe

Presenter(s):
Prof Hubert Froyen, PHL Department of Architecture, Belgium
Mr Luigi Biocca, CNR ITC National Research Council, Construction Technologies Institute, Rome, Italy
Mr Geza Fischl, Hungarian Society of Universal Design, Hungary
Dr Birgitta Mekibes, National Accessibility Centre, Office of the Disability Ombudsman, Sweden
Mr Marcus Ormerod, SURFACE Inclusive Design Research Centre, The University of Salford, UK

Presentation Type:
Forum (40 minutes)

Thursday
11:00 - 12:30
Rio 1
Forum

How can Universal Design be put on the professionalfs radar world-wide? What mentality and culture is needed to foster non-apartheid design? What processes and dynamics will produce full Accessibility for All, accessibility to physical structures, to social structures, to information and to communication?

Principles of Universal Design can be adopted on a global scale, but policies and strategies for implementation will have a local character. The social and economic conditions in Europe and in the USA are comparable and this makes further comparison of the implementation of the Universal Design approach in both continents interesting.

A Global Perspective on Development and Gender Equity

Presenter(s):
Prof Leslie Kanes Weisman, New Jersey Institute of Technology, USA
Ms Rosangela Berman Bieler, World Bank
Ms Rosemary Ciotti, Global Organization of Feminists with Disabilities, USA
Ms Judy Heumann, World Bank, Advisory on Disability and Development

Presentation Type:
Plenary Panel (90 minutes)

Saturday
9:00 - 10:30
Rio 3
Keynote Plenary Session

Today, homelessness, militarism, environmental degradation, and disease are widespread in affluent countries as well as in the developing nations of the world. Certainly many people are aware of these problems; yet too few are aware of the disproportionately devastating effects they have on the lives of women and children. In creating environments for people to enjoy long, healthy, and creative lives, designers committed to social justice must understand the complex ways in which development, environment, and housing policies and practices discriminate against women globally. The panelists who will be invited to join this plenary session - women from diverse countries with recognized expertise - will analyze these intersections from a multidisciplinary, multicultural perspective, and discuss the various roles that design professionals can play in redressing injustice.

A National Access Standard for Housing - how to achieve national regulation in a federal system of government

Presenter(s):
Mr Digby Hughes, People with Disability Australia, Australia

Presentation Type:
Forum (40 minutes)

Saturday
10:30 - 11:10
Rio 3
Forum

Australia operates under a federal system of government with six state and two territory governments having constitutional responsibility for housing. As well hundreds of local government authorities also implement local planning controls over building and housing. Despite this, it is the Australian Building Codes Board, a joint initiative of all levels of government, which oversees the creation of nationally consistent building codes, standards, regulatory requirements and regulatory systems. The paper will examine the arguments for and the strategies being used to bring about a national standard that integrates universal design.

Accessibility and Universal Design in Developing Economies - Mexico as an Example

Presenter(s):
Ms Taide Buenfil, Presidencia de la Republica, Mexico

Presentation Type:
Project (40 minutes)

Saturday
9:00 - 9:40
Flamengo
Project

Being a developing country means assessing what other countries have done on the economic, social and legislative aspects of making universal design a reality. Society and institutions have to come together to find the easiest and the least expensive way to contribute to the goal of integrating all kinds of people into national social and economic life.

The example of Mexico introduced the requirement for accessibility in federal buildings first as part of the program for accessibility that also includes standards for every built space, housing, transportation and promotion. The scope requires that every ministry and sector be included.

Accessible Public Transport in Argentina

Presenter(s):
Mr Claudio Alejandro Benardelli, Comision Nacional Asesora para la Integracion de Personas Discapacitadas, Argentina

Presentation Type:
Project (40 minutes)

Friday
2:00 - 2:40
Botafogo
Forum

This session will provide a history and overview of Argentinafs national legislation and policy on accessible transport. Progress has been made to make buses, subways and trains accessible especially in the last few years though there remains a great deal of work to be done. A key to further progress is to develop a strategy to create a emultiplierf effect by promoting the idea that accessibility benefits everyone and enhances the communityfs quality of life. To succeed, really professional supports are required.

Americans with Disabilities Act Design Guidelines - A Decade Later

Presenter(s):
Mr David Capozzi, U.S. Access Board, USA

Presentation Type:
Plenary Panel (90 minutes)

Thursday
1:45 - 3:10
Rio 3
Plenary Session

The Americans with Disabilities Act established accessibility standards for the design and construction of virtually all buildings and facilities in the United States in 1991. The Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG) is one of the most comprehensive accessibility standards in the world. In 2004, revisions to this standard were finalized. Not only have revisions been made to various elements, new accessibility guidelines were also added to address judicial facilities, correctional facilities, playgrounds, and recreation facilities. Revised ADAAG includes harmonization with model building codes, and other updates to reflect changing technologies and new advances in accessible design.

Architecture for Social Justice - Building Bridges and Making Connections to More Faculty and Students

Presenter(s):
Ms Elaine Ostroff, Adaptive Environments, USA
Ms Leslie Weisman, New Jersey Institute of Technology, USA
Mr Jason Lockhart, Southern University School of Architecture, USA

Presentation Type:
Forum (40 minutes)

Thursday
3:30 - 4:20
Copacabana
Forum

Adaptive Environments met with US faculty leaders in architecture in 2002 to plan more effective ways of engaging other faculty in universal design education and in making more programs accessible to students with disabilities. This led to the Architecture for Social Justice Awards Program: Partnerships in Teaching, a strategy to reach socially conscious design faculty and students who might be open to incorporating a more universal design approach in their teaching. We welcome discussion about both the needs and opportunities to build bridges to faculty and students in different cultures. For more background on the awards program developed with support from the National Endowment for the Arts, see the Adaptive Environments website and click on Access to Design.

Best Practices in Pedestrian Design

Presenter(s):
Mr Steve Demos, Adaptive Environments, USA
Mr Yoshi Kawauchi, Architect/Advocate, Japan
Mr Gustavo Partezani, Comissao Permanente de Accessibilidade (CPA), City of Sao Paulo, Brazil
Dr Avi Ramot, Israel Center for Accessibility, Israel

Presentation Type:
Plenary Panel (90 minutes)

Other presenters to be added, including representatives from the U.S. Access Board and the Norwegian government.

Thursday
11:00am - 12:30pm
Copacabana
Plenary Session

A cornerstone of sustainable development in cities across the globe is to promote vibrant pedestrian-centered communities. Good pedestrian design supports not only ecologically and economically sustainable development but is central to social equity and sustainability. No single answer responds to local needs and conditions. Experts who have created solutions in very different parts of the world will share their stories and techniques.

Critical Factors for Accessibility and Wayfinding for Adults with Intellectual Disability

Presenter(s):
Ms Patricia Salmi, University of Minnesota, USA

Presentation Type:
Forum (40 minutes)

Saturday
9:45 - 10:30
Lagoa
Forum

Through use of a field study, assessment of environmental features that impacted wayfinding behavior for 13 persons with mild intellectual disability was compared to the wayfinding behavior of 10 persons from the general population (comparison group). The study also sought to evaluate how a personfs cognitive resources influenced their wayfinding actions. Results showed observable differences in wayfinding abilities between groups. Variables found to be important to wayfinding success include signage, landmarks, spatial layout, and previous knowledge of mall settings. Furthermore, persons with intellectual disability were able to form cognitive maps, contrary to findings from a previous study.

Culture and Arts Environments for All - Making Policy Reality

Presenter(s):
Ms Philippa Daly Smith, Disability Services Commission, Australia

Presentation Type:
Project (40 minutes)

Thursday
3:30 - 4:10
Lagoa
Project

In Western Australian over 220 Government authorities are legislatively required to have Disability Service Plans demonstrating how they are making their services accessible. The Disability Services Commission oversees this initiative. The Department of Culture and the Arts provides an excellent example of what can be achieved to create inclusive arts and cultural experiences. Significant practical improvements have been made through the work of the agency and their disability advisory committee. Initiatives include education, policy review and audits of services to identify access barriers and solutions. Theatre, art gallery, museum and library accessibility will be shown as well as projects making exhibitions accessible to people who are blind or deaf.

Designers with Disabilities at Work: Building a World Fit for People

Presenter(s):
Ms Elaine Ostroff, Adaptive Environments, USA
Ms Regina Cohen, Research Center on Accessibility and Universal Design, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Ms Taide Buenfil, Oficina de Representacion para la Promocion e Integracion Social para Personas con Discapacidad, Mexico
Mr Yoshi Kawauchi, Access Project, Japan
Mr Jorge Falcato, Camara Municipal de Lisboa, Social Affairs, Portugal
Mr Marcelo Guimaraes, Center for Universal Design, NCSU, USA

Presentation Type:
Plenary Panel (90 minutes)

Other session participants to be confirmed.

Saturday
2:30 - 4:00
Rio 1
Plenary Session

Meet with other designers with disabilities from all over the world to participate in a moderated discussion with members of the International Network of Designers with Disabilities. More than 50 designers and design students are members of the Network, interacting through an e-list. Learn how designers with disabilities are changing both design practice and design education, are influencing the universal design of products, places and information, and are encouraging younger people with disabilities to enter the design professions. Consider joining the Network. For more information, see Access to Design Professions . Interested colleagues, friends and family of Network members are also welcome.

Diffusing Universal Design Globally: Learnsites for Youth and Adult Leaders

Presenter(s):
Dr Betty Jo White, College of Human Ecology, Dept. of Apparel, Textiles & Interior Design, USA

Presentation Type:
Working Group (90 minutes)

Thursday
1:45 - 3:15
Master 2
Working Group

There are two sessions for this working group. The other session is scheduled for Friday, 9:00 - 10:30 (Master 2).

This intensive UD Introduction consists of hands-on tryouts of two "Learnsites" targeted to teenagers and their teachers and group leaders. The web-learning package is designed to prepare youth to disseminate the UD concept to the mainstream population. Based on Rogersf Adoption/Diffusion Theory, one site instructs teachers and leaders, while the other presents ten age-appropriate, diverse, interactive, and problem-solving lessons to engage youth. Developed in cooperation with the U. S. National Endowment for the Arts, both are fully accessible to people with disabilities, and could be localized to serve developing nations until they can prepare their own.

Disability Leaders Working Inside Government: Strategies, Assets, Challenges

Presenter(s):
Ms Sandy Matava, Suffolk University, USA
Ms Taide Buenfil, Oficina de la Presidencia de la Republica de Mexico, Mexico
Mr David Hanson, City of Chicago, USA
Mr Edison Passafaro, City of Sao Paulo, Brazil
Mr Andrew Shipley, City of London, UK

Presentation Type:
Plenary Panel (90 minutes)

Thursday
11:00 - 12:30
Rio 3
Plenary Session

There is a growing wealth of expertise among managers in government with responsibilities related to accessible environments who are also people with disabilities. In a number of places, they are also articulating a vision of universal design. The panelists will offer examples of specific projects that exemplify their goals. They will also assess the advantages and disadvantages of being a person with a disability on the inside of policy making.

Government Policy Initiatives

Presenter(s):
Mr Abhishek Ray, Matrika Design Collaborative, India
Ms H.M. Chan, Architectural Services Department, Hong Kong

Presentation Type:
Plenary Panel (90 minutes)

Friday
10:30 - 12:00
Rio 1
Plenary Session

The big idea of creating places that anticipate and welcome everyone across the spectrum of age and ability becomes meaningful at the city scale. Public policy is a key to communicating expectations and making it work. Presenters from disparate parts of the world will describe their experience with public policy related to inclusive design and explore the assets and risks.

Guidelines to Project Accessible Parks with Emphasis in Human Factors

Presenter(s):
Ms Ana Burjato, Secretaria de Meio Ambiente do Estado de Sao Paulo, Brazil

Presentation Type:
Project (40 minutes)

Thursday
11:50 - 12:30
Botafogo
Project

To make parks accessible to people with disabilities with emphasis in human factors, itfs necessary to consider the desires and satisfactions of the users. It is important not only to arrive, but to have something to do and to want to come back. Besides being possible to arrive to a park, it has to be attractive with elements that can be used by children, elderly and people with disabilities. The actives related to leisure in public areas, must allow access for everybody independent of their social-economic conditions, increasing the inclusion of people with disabilities.

How to Stop the Train After Itfs Left the Station: Diary of the Construction of a Bridge

Presenter(s):
Mrs Shirley Confino-Rehder, Shirley Confino Interiors, USA

Presentation Type:
Plenary Panel (90 minutes)

Friday
9:00 - 10:30
Flamengo
Plenary Session

What do you do about a pedestrian bridge that many pedestrians will not be able to use, after construction has started?

This presentation will discuss the saga of the Calatrava Bridge designed for the City of Venice. Using PowerPoint participants will travel to Milan to hear from the architects and petitioners, to Venice to understand the site and design, and be brought back to Rio to learn the process of negotiations that will result in a perfect example of Universal Design. The participants will learn how voices can be heard around the world and can create change.

Implementing Access Through Universal Design in Five Brazilian Cities: Porto Alegre, Curitiba, Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte

Presenter(s):
Mr Eugene Williams, board member, Adaptive Environments, USA
Mr Edison Passafaro, Comissao Permanente de Acessibilidade--Sao Paulo, Brazil
Mr Humberto Lippo, Governo Municipal de Porto Alegre, Brazil
Ms Veronica Camisao, CVI-RJ Centro da Vida Independente-Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Ms Ana Paula Crosara Resende, Cidade de Uberlandia, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Ms Sandra Fernandina Fagundes, Governo Municipal de Belo Horizonte, Brazil

Presentation Type:
Plenary Panel (90 minutes)

Thursday
11:00 - 12:30
Rio 2
Plenary Session

Representatives from the five Brazilian cities recognized as the most advanced in implementing access through Universal Design will present the strengths and weaknesses of their city's approach. Porto Alegre, Curitiba, Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte have developed unique approaches based on social and physical geography, governmental and non-governmental organizations, and the relationships between access advocates and municipal government, particularly in the area of enforcement. Panel presentations will be followed by discussion of the follwing questions:

• What works?
• What doesn't work?
• Can a model be developed from a synthesis of experiences?

Inclusive Design in Practice: a UK Experience

Presenter(s):
Prof Roger Coleman, The Helen Hamlyn Research Centre, UK
Ms Julia Cassim, The Helen Hamlyn Research Centre, UK
Mr Rama Gheerawo, The Helen Hamlyn Research Centre, UK
Mr Jeremy Myerson, The Helen Hamlyn Research Centre, UK

Presentation Type:
Project (40 minutes)

Thursday
1:45 - 3:50
Rio 2
Project - Special Group Presentation

This session will showcase a UK specific, but holistic approach to universal/inclusive design in practice. The Helen Hamlyn Research Centre (HHRC) at the Royal College of Art (RCA) exposes young postgraduate design students to the theory and practice of designing in ways that make products and services accessible and attractive to the largest possible number of users. A key objective is to nurture a cadre of committed design professionals capable of effectively carrying the universal design message to industry and putting it into practice. The HHRC is also committed to spreading this ethos among the staff and students at the RCA and to the wider, international design education and research community.

It does this by working with three design communities -- students, new graduates, and professionals -- and supporting its alumni at each stage in the progression from student to professional practice with industrial contacts and projects, and with resources and design challenges. This design agenda is also communicated to industry and the public sector in ways that can stimulate demand and lead to innovation and new product development. The process is underpinned by an extensive network of ecriticalf users, who collaborate with the Centre and the three design communities with which it works.

The session will be chaired by Roger Coleman, co-director of the HHRC, and consist of 5 short (15 minute) presentations on each community interaction, followed by 5 minute Q&A sessions. The final 30 minutes will be devoted to open discussion on the practicalities of transferring methods and projects to other, unique situations.

The five presentations will cover the following topics:

• An overview of the Centre's core activities and objectives, including its action research methodology and its work with design and industry
• How young students are introduced to key ideas and processes, such as working with users, and how this gives rise to a rich source of design exemplars.
• Building bridges with industry through one-year, user-led design collaborations.
• Engaging with the professional design community, and developing supporting resources and codes of practice.
• A designer's progress from student to consultant to a leading UK/international retailer. How that company adopted an inclusive approach to design, and discovered a route to innovation and market success.

Although this is very much a UK specific initiative, many of the lessons, methods and activities outlined have the potential to be transferred to very different situations. As a consequence the final 25-30 minutes will be devoted to an open discussion of such opportunities and the session will have considerable interest to all those working in education, with design professionals and with industry.

Inclusive Design of Accessible Transport: A One-Day Intensive Workshop

Presenter(s):
Mr Tom Rickert, Access Exchange International, USA
Dr Gerhard Menckhoff, World Bank, USA
Mr Yoshi Kawauchi, Japan
Mr Pedro Chavez, APRODDIS, Peru
Mr Renato Boareto, Sec. Nacional de Transporte, Brazil
Mr Nazareno Stanislau, ANTP, Brazil
Ms Angela Carneiro da Cunha, CREA-PE, Brazil
Ms Angela Werneck, RIOTRILHOS, Brazil

Presentation Type:
Full Day Pre-Conference Intensive Session

Wednesday
8:30am - 5:00pm
Rio 2
Refreshments and Box Lunch Provided
Fee: $150
Full-Day Pre-Conference Intensive Session

Introduction:
The goal of this workshop is to provide needed tools to promoters, planners, regulators, and implementers of inclusive public transport designed for all passengers including those with disabilities. Morning sessions will focus on lessons learned about (1) policy and normative frameworks and (2) implementation issues across a spectrum of modes. Following lunch, working groups will choose one of two urban scenarios and recommend specific actions based on what they have learned before and during the workshop. Brief videos describing accessible transport modes in different countries will round out the day.

Workshop content:

8:30 - Video introducing transport access for tourists visiting the United Kingdom.

8:45 - Policy and normative frameworks for inclusive transport
(20 minutes for each presentation, with 10 minutes for discussion)

• Tom Rickert, Executive Director, Access Exchange International, USA: What we have learned from accessible transport trends in Asia, Latin America, and Africa
• Renato Boareto, Director of Urban Mobility, Brazil's National Secretary of Transit and Urban Mobility: Policy frameworks in Brazil: Lessons learned
• Yoshi Kawauchi, author and universal design pioneer: Policy frameworks in Japan: Lessons learned

10:15 - Break

10:30 - Implementing transport for all
(20 minutes for each presentation, with 10 minutes for discussion)

• Gerhard Menckhoff, World Bank Transport Sector, Washington DC: A global overview of Bus Rapid Transit (integrated systems of mass transit), with an emphasis on accessible Latin American BRT systems
• Nazareno Stanislau, Executive Director, Brazil's National Public Transport Association: Modal integration: How S?o Paulo put it all together
• Angela Carneiro da Cunha, CREA-PE, Recife, Brazil: Bringing in the community: Using public awareness to promote accessible transport
• Pedro Chavez, Coordinator, Peru's Bellavista Project: Access to pedestrian infrastructure: Implementing a model ordinance in Lima and beyond
• Angela Werneck, Access Coordinator, Riotrilhos (Rio subway): Bridging the terminal-vehicle gap: universal design of access for all

1:00 - Lunch

2:00 - Working groups

Participants will choose one of two urban scenarios which involve an interplay between many different factors. They will review the likely roles of different actors, identify potential obstacles, and recommend practical action steps on the part of promoters, policy makers, and implementers of accessible transport.

Scenario 1:
A large city of 5 million persons in a less-wealthy country. The city's historic center is a tourist destination, as is a national park on its outskirts.

The climate features moderate temperatures, except for heavy rains which may cause severe flooding at times during the four-months long rainy season. Population density is high along transport corridors. The city has 4,000 large buses on 100 lines, 10,000 minibuses and vans mainly operating informally on 200 concessioned routes leading into the city, and 5 commuter rail lines supplemented by two subway lines within the city limits. The 5,000 taxis are not accessible to wheelchair users. Pedestrian infrastructure is beginning to become more accessible in new construction and there are curb ramps, entrance ramps and some other access features at many public buildings and in much new commercial construction. Forty low-floor buses are deployed on 20 routes along with other buses, but there are many complaints that the service is not reliable. A dozen accessible ramped taxis are on order. Rail lines are not yet accessible but plans for access to a few key stations are in place. A new and accessible international airport has just opened. The city has passed legislation which states that new public transport construction will be accessible, but implementation has been very slow. Different city departments are in charge of transport regulation and of public works, and they have a poor record of cooperation. Disability advocates are far from satisfied with the very uncoordinated improvements already in place and seek a long-term plan to meet their needs. What do you do (1) as an advocate, (2) as a policy maker, or (3) as a planner or implementer?

Scenario 2:
A small industrial city of a quarter million persons, also in a less-wealthy country. The climate is generally warm and dry. The city has 200 large buses on five lines, and a mix of 500 very lightly regulated vans controlled by an owners association. Some 300 taxis are inaccessible to wheelchair users. Entrance ramps have been installed at a dozen public buildings and social service agencies. However, sidewalks are not well maintained and only a beginning has been made in installing curb ramps at key sites, to say nothing of other access features for pedestrian infrastructure. Although in poor condition, streets and sidewalks are generally wider than needed and population density along transport corridors is low. There is one transport provider who has a couple lift-equipped vans to serve those who can afford to pay for them. The city has no policy framework in place regarding accessible transport. A single understaffed department is charged with regulating transport and pedestrian infrastructure. The main disability NGO is a cross-disability organization with good representation by wheelchair users, but less input from those with other mobility impairments or with sensory or cognitive disabilities. What do you do as (1) an advocate, (2) a policy maker, or (3) a planner or implementer?

3:30 - Group presentations of agreed-upon actions by each of the two groups from the perspectives of advocates, policy makers, and planners.

4:00 - All present discuss the actions presented by the participants.

4:45 - Wrapping it up: Transport for all: This train is leaving the station! (Tom Rickert)

5:00 - Workshop closure

About the Session Organizer:
Tom Rickert is the founder and Executive Director of Access Exchange International (AEI), an NGO with fourteen years of experience in promoting accessible public transport for persons with disabilities around the world. Prior to founding AEI, Rickert was Manager of Accessible Services for San Francisco, California's, bus and subway system, as well as coordinator of San Francisco's door-to-door van and taxi services for disabled passengers. He has provided workshops and presentations in twenty countries. Rickert speaks Spanish, having lived in Costa Rica for six years, and his work in Latin America includes presentations on accessible transport in Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, S?o Paulo, Montevideo, Santiago, Lima, Mexico City, San Jos?, Managua, and San Salvador. His interests include access to both urban and rural transport.

* Resource materials in English, Portuguese, and Spanish will be available to participants.

Inclusive Voting Strategies

Presenter(s):
Ms Deborah Lisi-Baker, USA
Mr Singanapalli Balaram, Institute of Design, India
Mr Jim Sandhu, Inclusive Design Research Associates, Ltd., UK

Presentation Type:
Plenary Panel (90 minutes)

Thursday
1:45-3:15
Arporador
Plenary Session

Voting is the core civil society activity in democracies. The inability to participate almost guarantees a marginal social role. Attention to the design of the physical space for exercising this basic right, combined with the extraordinary opportunity offered by technological innovation, can ensure a new baseline of equal opportunity through design. The panel will explore guidelines for the design of voting places, the extraordinary experience of the 2004 Indian election in which 800 million people voted electronically and the potential as well as the risks and benefits of "smart cards" in the European Union.

Japanese Experience Toward Accessible and Usable Built Environment: Lessons for the Developing Economies

Presenter(s):
Prof Satoshi Kose, Shizuoka University of Art and Culture, Japan
Mr Yutaka Takamine, The University of the Ryukyus, Japan
Mr Singapalli Balaram, Institute of Design, India

Presentation Type:
Plenary Panel (90 minutes)

Thursday
1:45 - 3:15
Rio 1
Plenary Session

In Japan, legal enforcement has not played a major role in making the built environment accessible and usable for a long time. It was rather the mix of recommendations and economic incentives that proved to work so far, particularly for housing design with emphasis on designing for the ageing society. The lesson from Japan is that economic incentives of some kind must be in place to make the requirements effective. Without requirements it is very difficult to persuade people, but without incentives people are reluctant to move.

Latin American Strategic Planning Forum

Presenter(s):
Ms Veronica Camisao, Centro de Vida Independente do Rio de Janeiro (CVI-Rio), Brazil

Presentation Type:

Sunday (all day)
Off-Site at FUNLAR (transportation provided)
No Fee
Special Post-Conference Forum

Bus leaves Sofitel at 8:00 AM for session start time of 9:00 am
Session ends at 5:00 pm
Session only in Portuguese and Spanish!

Pre-registration required.

This all-day session is for Brazilian and other Latin American delegates hosted by UN Global Programme on Persons with Disabilities, CVI-RIO and Adaptive Environments to begin to map a regional action plan for integrating universal design into development and policy. Participants from disability, government and design as well as key strategic partners in international banking, trade organizations, unions and media are invited to participate.

Learning to Construct a More Inclusive Society Through the Practice of Universal Design Projects

Presenter(s):
Mrs Marta Dischinger, UFSC, Brazil
Ms Vera Helena Moro Bins Ely, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Brazil

Presentation Type:
Plenary Panel (90 minutes)

Thursday
2:20 - 3:00
Rio 1
Plenary Session

The inclusion of all citizens in the Brazilian society is a very present question that is being undertaken on different levels. Organized movements, greater social concern and new laws and regulations are some of important conquests of the last 10 years. However, many other actions are still needed to implement Universal Design actions and to change the daily life of persons possessing some form of disability. We present in this paper two educational Universal Design projects that had concrete repercussions towards the construction of a more inclusive society in Brazil.

Participatory Planning and Management of Accessibility in the Built Environment and Urban Transport: The Barcelona Experience

Presenter(s):
Mr Xavier Alegre, Barcelona City Council, Spain

Presentation Type:
Project (40 minutes)

Saturday
11:20 - 12:00
Rio 2
Project

Agenda summary:

• Needs analysis
• Design of urban elements
• Audit of the current state of the city
• Definition of priorities
• Transition period
• Intervention stages
• Management of the crisis
• Resolution of conflicts
• Distribution of responsibility models (dependencies)
• And After? A City for All

Principles of Universal Design Revisited

Presenter(s):
Mr James Mueller, J.L. Mueller, Inc., USA
Ms Elaine Ostroff, Co-Founder of Adaptive Environments; Director of the Global Universal Design Educatorfs Network, USA
Ms Laurie Ringaert, RERC on Universal Design, NC State, USA

Presentation Type:
Charrette (Half day followed by two additional sessions.)

Wednesday Afternoon
1:30 - 5:15
Copacabana
Fee: $75
Charrette/Case Study (Half-Day)

Since their creation in the United States in 1997, the 7 Principles of Universal Design have served as the gold standard for communicating, understanding and evaluating universal design. They have been widely published in many countries and translated into several languages.

The purpose of this pre-conference charette is to examine how the Principles of Universal Design are being applied to design education, practice, policies and research around the world. Participants in this charette will also explore opportunities for ongoing discourse toward broader understanding and use of the Principles in diverse cultures.

An additional working group session will be scheduled at the convenience of the participants; the findings of the Principles charette will be presented on Saturday morning, 9:00 to 11:00 at the Charette Wrap Up session, along with reports from the other charettes.

This charette will provide a unique opportunity for exchange among authors of the Principles and international experts in universal design, as well as a learning experience for participants who are newer to universal design.

Jim Mueller is an industrial designer who has worked in the field of design for people with disabilities since 1974 as an assistive technology provider, researcher, universal design consultant, and workplace accommodation specialist and instructor. His clients have included businesses, as well as government agencies, individuals with disabilities, and national disability organizations.

Jim serves on the staff or advisory boards of several Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers and chairs the Industrial Designers Society of America's Special Interest Section on Universal Design.

Promoting an Inclusive Environment in London

Presenter(s):
Ms Julie Fleck, Greater London Authority, UK

Presentation Type:
Project (40 minutes)

Friday
10:30 - 11:10
Copacabana
Project

The London Plan includes policies on inclusive design and accessible housing. The challenge is now to ensure that Londonfs 33 local planning authorities adopt and implement the policies and that developers and planning applicants embrace inclusion and help create a more accessible city. Tools have been developed to ensure understanding and adoption of inclusive design, including Supplementary Planning Guidance called Accessible London which explains the policies in more detail; the use of Access Statements in planning and building applications; a video on Lifetime Homes and the standards for wheelchair accessible housing.

Social Inclusion: An Urban Development Rationale for Societies in Conflict

Presenter(s):
Dr Riadh Tappuni, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, Lebanon

Presentation Type:
Plenary Panel (90 minutes)

Friday
Rio 1-3
4:00 - 5:30
Keynote Plenary Session

Urbanization is a most challenging problem facing nations today. Unless cities prepare to meet its demands, the social consequences could be detrimental to the well being of lower income and less fortunate groups. The case of the countries of Asia and the pacific, demonstrates this point clearly. all the population increase of the 1st quarter of this century, which is close to one billion people, will be absorbed by urban areas. This will be coupled with an increase of the over 60 population from 9.3% to 15.5% of the total. This demographic pressure will be compounded by an increase in the cultural and ethnic diversity of cities due to national and international migration.

Present day urban development poses major challenges to the planner. Development in economic terms is usually expressed as economic growth; to architects it is often the physical development of the urban fabric and the cityfs infrastructure. But what is at the heart of the citiesf development is its social context as expressed and assessed through their social capital.

The exclusionary quality of a city is imbedded in its socio-economic and physical forms, being presented here as a complex network of stratified systems. Urban slums are an extreme case of stratification where a section of the community is economically deprived, socially contained and physically isolated. From a social point of view, urban community stratification indicates a form of exclusion; a negative measure of the cityfs social capital. Progress in technology, particularly transportation and communication, enabled the rich to live far from the slums. This fragmentation of society was accentuated when households were able to afford being further apart, all leading to an erosion of social capital. Exclusion, corruption, fragmentation and denial of rights often result in conflict, transpiring into physical confrontation. Reconstructing cities after the devastation of civil unrest is a task that is considerably more complex and difficult than conventional city development.

Social inclusion cannot achieve its full potential without an urban environment that is physically inclusive. This can be especially difficult in traditional and old cities, where human movement is substantially hindered, and accessibility is hard to achieve.

Over the past thirty years, the city of Beirut went through staggering transformations. It shifted from its 1974 status as the vibrant cosmopolitan east Mediterranean city to a state of utter destruction in the late nineties. Beirut has now completed 14 years of its reconstruction age, a process that was led by a political evolution and stability, paving the way for a social contract. The physical reconstruction of Beirut had its institutional foundations in the early nineties, with the beginning of the construction work around 1994.

Ten years on, the Beirut Central District can now boast an up to date infrastructure and a reconstructed building fabric that retained the visual character of the old district. Through good planning decisions, the BCD became the hub of leisurely and touristic activities, achieving a level of accessibility that is unparalleled elsewhere in Lebanon.

The BCD experience emphasized the importance of confluence of Political will by the decision makers, public awareness of the significance of inclusive design, suitability of guidelines and legislation to the local environment, feedback from the field, and the participation of the beneficiary groups.

The Action Plan on Universal Design in Statsbygg - The Directorate of Public Construction and Property in Norway

Presenter(s):
Mr Finn Aslaksen, Vista Utredning AS, Norway

Presentation Type:
Project (40 minutes)

Saturday
10:30 - 11:10
Botafogo
Project

In January 2004 The Directorate of Public Construction and Property in Norway approved an action plan on universal design covering both the development of new premises and repair and development of existing premises. The action plan for new premises is based on the integration of universal design principles in programming, guidelines, checklists, programs for architect competitions and education to increase competence related to universal design. All existing premises will be registered and needs for repair identified. Repair proposals are to be incorporated in the ordinary maintenance and repair programmes, but there is also a dedicated budget for repair actions.

The All-Inclusive - Green Design for Human and Environmental Health - An Economic Model in Support of Sustainability

Presenter(s):
Prof Nadine Bopp, The School of the Art Institute, USA

Presentation Type:
Forum (40 minutes)

Saturday
2:30 - 3:10
Lagoa
Forum

Sustainable design and green architecture is the eAll-Inclusivef paradigm that supports the human and environmental health of cities and their inhabitants. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as complete physical, mental and social well-being, based on organisms that are balanced with regard to their chemical, biological, nutritional and psychological environments. It has been reported that buildings are responsible for sickness caused by poor design and materials specification on a global scale. The case for green design is supported by examples where human and environmental health is realized and the costs of degradation are minimized.

The Application of Universal Design in Low-Cost Housing by the City of Sao Paulo, Brazil

Presenter(s):
Mr Edison Passafaro, Comissao Permanente de Acessibilidade, Brazil
Mr Eugene Williams, Adaptive Environments, USA

Presentation Type:
Project (40 minutes)

Thursday
3:30 - 4:10
Flamengo
Project

The municipal government of Sao Paulo requires accessibility in its low-cost housing construction programs. That accessibility is based on the principles of Universal Design and implemented by the Secretariat of Housing and Urban Development (SEHAB) under the supervision of the Permanent Commission on Accessibilty (CPA). An overview of the application of Universal Design will be accompanied by images from architectural and engineering plans as possible. A focus of the presentation is anticipated to be the self-built self-administered ("Mutirao com Autogestao") program championed by the grassroots Union of Housing Movements (UMM). A brief description of the UMM will be included.

The European Internet Accessibility Observatory

Presenter(s):
Mr Finn Aslaksen, Vista Utredning AS, Norway
Dr Mikael Snaprud, Agder University College, Norway

Presentation Type:
Project (40 minutes)

Friday
10:30 - 11:10
Flamengo
Project

The overall objective of the project is to contribute to better e-accessibility for all citizens and to increase the use of standards in online content. By providing frequently updated data on web accessibility metrics and deviations from standards of the European websites assessed the European Internet Accessibility Observatory (EIAO) will:

• Provide quantitative background for policy-making and targeted actions to improve web accessibility. This may be of special importance for the discussion going on about legislation (anti-discrimination laws) for equal rights related to web accessibility.
• Promote e-accessibility by raising awareness and encouraging competition through benchmarking of accessibility of a great number of websites frequently.

The Implementation of a National Observatory in Inclusive Design in Portugal

Presenter(s):
Prof Fernando Moreira Da Silva, Faculdade de Arquitectura, Portugal

Presentation Type:
Project (40 minutes)

Saturday
11:20 - 12:00
Botafogo
Project

The Faculty of Architecture (FA) is partner of the Portuguese Design Centre in an Inclusive Design project, along with Lisbon Municipality and the Portuguese Association for Visually Impaired People, mainly supported by EQUAL, a European research programme. In this project, which began in September 2002, FA is responsible for the creation of the National Observatory in Inclusive Design, which will be maintained at FA in the future. After September 2004 we will be implementing the dissemination of the project issues and results by: workshops at the Universities and with the professionals involved in the built or natural environment from the point of view of its design, management or function; seminars covering all the Municipalities.

Transforming Neighbourhoods: How to Maximise the Value of Design in the Built Environment

Presenter(s):
Mr Chris Murray, Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment, UK

Presentation Type:
Forum (40 minutes)

Saturday
2:30 - 3:10
Rio 3
Forum

The Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment is England's champion for better design. They campaign, advise, provide demonstration projects and study the value of design in transforming places. This session will describe the genesis of CABE, explaining how the organisation provides a coherent and dynamic service for public and private sector clients. Examples of the economic, social and cultural value of design will be provided through case studies from differing urban settlements. Public participation, better skills and the process of injecting a sense of excellence into ordinary and everyday buildings as well as the iconic will be discussed.

Universal Design and the International Travel & Hospitality Industry

Presenter(s):
Dr Scott Rains, Eden Housing Resident Services, Inc., USA
Mrs Jani Nayar, SATH (Society for Accessible Travel & Hospitality), USA
Ms Laurie Ringaert, Center for Universal Design Noth Carolina State University, USA
Prof Kate Hunter-Zaworski (off-site partcipant), Oregon State University -- Federal Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center, USA
Mr Richard Thompson, Accessible Travel and Leisure, UK

Presentation Type:
Full Day Pre-Conference Intensive Session

Tuesday
9:00 - 5:00
Rio 2
Fee: $150
Refreshments and Box Lunch Provided
Full-Day Pre-Conference Intensive Session

Several factors make this an ideal time for an international body to strategicaly review travel and hospitality from the perspective of disabled persons:

• The resurgence of international travel post September 11, Economic recovery,
• A new paradigm for disability studies,
• Enfranchisement of the World Tourism Organization by the UN,
• And the availability of the first statistical study of the travel behavior of persons with disabilities.

Brazil provides an ideal location for such a review with:

• Its scholarly production in the field,
• Public sector resources such as EMBRATUR,
• And private sector resources such as tourism infrastructure and Embraer impacting globally through jet manufacture.

Universal Design and the Marine Enviroment - From Along the Shore to Offshore.

Presenter(s):
Mr Stephen Spinetto, City Of Boston, USA
Ms Jan Tuck, Access Compliance Manager, Princess Cruise Lines, USA

Presentation Type:
Charrette (Half day followed by two additional sessions.)

Wednesday
Fee: $150
Charrette/Case Study (Full-Day)

The marine environment is unique, both along the shoreline and offshore on passenger vessels. City waterfronts have become major recreational and cultural venues. Cruise ships have become important vacation destinations worldwide, particularly for persons with disabilities. Increasingly water transportation is supplementing other mass transit systems. Designing in the marine environment requires taken into account the weather wind and tide and the constantly changing and frequently hostile environment. The presentation will include information about the proposed Americans With Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines Passenger Vessel Standards. The presentation will also offer examples and information concerning waterfront design and planning, including the design of piers and gangways.

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This charrette will begin at the Conference Center and the session will move to the Rio harbor, to the Niteroi Ferry and terminal (see photo above left) in the Centro District. The session will include a trip on the Niteroi Ferry and a visit to Oscar Niemeyer's Museum of Contemporary Art (see photo above right).

For more information about Passenger Vessel Access Design Guidelines: http://www.access-board.gov/pvaac/commrept/report-summary.htm

About the Presenters:

Stephen Spinetto is the Commissioner, of the Boston Commission for Persons with Disabilities. Mr. Spinetto is also an adjunct faculty member at the Sawyer School of Public Management at Suffolk University. He served as Chairman of the US Architectural Transportation Barriers Compliance Board / Passenger Vessel Advisory Committee

In 1984-1985 Mr. Spinetto were a Loeb and a National Endowment of the Arts Fellow in Advanced Environmental Design at the Graduate School of Design Harvard University. Hefs a board member of the Access Sport America Foundation. Mr. Spinetto was Chairman of the National Ocean Access (NOAP) from 1986-1994, was Captain of the United States Disabled Sailing Team, from 1989-1992, and was the United States Olympic Committee Technical Representative for Yachting to International Paralympics Committee from 1992-1996.

Janice Tuck is the Access Manager For Princess Cruise Lines and serves as Chair of the US Access Board; Ms Tuck also serves on the US Access Boards Passenger Vessel Advisory Committee.

Universal Design as a Strategy for Developing and Implementing Government Policy

Presenter(s):
Mr Einar Lund, Ministry of the Environment, Norway

Presentation Type:
Project (40 minutes)

Saturday
3:15 - 3:55
Arporador
Project

The Universal Design strategy has proven to be effective in areas where traditional accessibility has little impact or has lost its momentum. Does universal design have the capability of giving meaningful contributions to the development of national policies? If so, does this produce concrete results that improve the life of the citizens in general and people with disabilities in particular, or does the ideology of universal design become too diffuse when mixed with high-level politics. And can governments bring about results alone?

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