Accessible Design

 

Selected examples

Long before the Americans with Disabilities Act [ADA] was signed into law in 1990, I already was active and proactive in the world of improved accessibility.  Over time I have become a recognized expert on accessibility and an advocate for a thoughtful, design-oriented approach to universal design.

I established Accessible Design in 1997 as a separate consulting firm to provide support to design and construction professionals to plan better for accessibility.  It is the philosophy of Accessible Design that the principles of the ADA can be integrated fully without compromise to design excellence and without excessive project costs.

Currently Accessible Design is a collaboration between me, Richard Bosch Architect, its principal and founder, and two long-time associates: Georgena Moran, an accessibility specialist, certified in the Universal Trail Assessment Process [UTAP], and an avid wheelchair hiker and sports enthusiast; and Sharon Mitchell, a media specialist, proficient in trail and facility assessments, and producing media that deal with various topics of universal design.  Georgena is the principal of Mind on Accessibility, focused on site and trail assessments, of which Sharon and Richard are associates.

For Portland Parks and Recreation, I helped establish the City County Advisory Committee on the Disabled [CCACD] Parks Subcommittee to review all Parks projects for accessibility and to establish project scoping, recognizing that the building code has jurisdiction only over built facilities, but is not responsible for most park elements.

I am a long-time member of Access Recreation, a committee that is striving for region-wide standards for accessible trails and the means to share that information with hikers with disabilities.

I received professional training at the Commission on Persons with Disabilities [CPD] in Honolulu, where I headed the team that provided document reviews and training to all levels of government throughout Hawaii, technical interpretations to design professionals, and facility assessments. 

For the University of Hawaii School of Architecture I developed a curriculum and taught a full-semester class on Accessible Design emphasizing design integration over mere code compliance.  After completion of the course, I commissioned the students to visit the neighbor islands to document accessibility at all public-owned facilities which resulted in the Aloha Guide to Accessibility.

Design of the Guidelines for Providing Trail Information to People with Disabilities [click cover to view document]

Design of accessibility features at Pittock Mansion

[Click to view additional examples and a larger plan]