Universal Design: A tool for creating equitable spaces after COVID-19

Achieving equity in our buildings, spaces and communities is a complex challenge. Without question, there is vast room for improvement when it comes to not only designing and operating equitable spaces, but also for ensuring these efforts are reaching those who need it most. While data is still emerging, numbers thus far are placing vulnerable populations among those hardest hit by COVID-19. Marginalized groups already struggling with reduced employment opportunities, lower wages and unstable economic security have become even more at risk in today’s world.

As we begin our return to the workplace, restaurants, places of worship and retail shops, we must remember that not everyone will be embarking on the same journey. Individuals with chronic and underlying health conditions will remain more at risk. Remote work and schooling are not readily available for those without the financial capacity to secure laptops or high-speed internet. And many will risk increased rates of exposure by continuing to rely on public transit as their sole means of transportation. With this challenge comes the opportunity to reframe expectations for how design can better support equitable and inclusive environments, and Universal Design can serve as a critical tool to further those efforts as we rebuild in a post pandemic world.

Principles and goals of Universal Design
Universal Design is a philosophy that emerged in the 1960’s to champion the design of inclusive products and environments for all, regardless of age, ability, size or background. Universal Design moves beyond accessible design by addressing the wide spectrum of disability — including sensory, learning, physical, neurodiversity and mental and emotional disabilities, among others — while also striving to create flexible, usable and intuitive spaces for all. In the 1990’s, a team of experts identified by North Carolina State University brought a contextual framework to the theory and practice by establishing the Principles of Universal Design:

• Equitable Use
• Flexibility in Use
• Simple and Intuitive
• Perceptible Information
• Tolerance for Error
• Low Physical Effort
• Size and Space for Approach and Use

While Universal Design is often seen as being singularly focused on disability inclusion, the underlying goal was always to create products and environments that were usable to the greatest extent possible by the greatest number of people possible. The IDEA Center at the University at Buffalo bolstered this objective by establishing the 8 Goals of Universal Design:

1. Body fit: Accommodating a wide a range of body sizes and abilities
2. Comfort: Keeping demands within desirable limits of body function
3. Awareness: Ensuring that critical information for use is easily perceived
4. Understanding: Making methods of operation and use intuitive, clear, and unambiguous
5. Wellness: Contributing to health promotion, avoidance of disease, and prevention of injury
6. Social integration: Treating all groups with dignity and respect
7. Personalization: Incorporating opportunities for choice and the expression of individual preferences
8. Cultural appropriateness: Respecting and reinforcing cultural values and the social, economic and environmental context of any design project.

With these broad-reaching principles and goals, Universal Design strategies have extended to encompass age, ability, gender, cultural identity, sexual and gender identity and religion, among others. Examples of Universal Design strategies that move beyond disability include gender neutral restrooms, wayfinding strategies that help someone with language barriers safely navigate spaces, murals and artwork featuring local and community-based artists and non-denominational spaces for worship, prayer and meditation. Universal Design has also come to address aspects of health, equity and sustainability, as seen in the LEED Inclusive Design Pilot Credit and WELL Feature C13: Accessibility and Universal Design. Universal Design strategies promote flexible, usable and intuitive spaces that can contribute to reducing anxiety, promoting safety and leading to overall healthier, more equitable and more usable environments.

Case study: Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London
The Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London was designed to deliver the most inclusive Olympic games ever. In doing so, the first step required a deep understanding of gaps that existed in current practice. In order to properly address comprehensive inclusion, a new standard for Universal Design was developed. Specific to the Olympic Park site and event, the new standard would guide project teams “to make the London 2012 Games ‘Everyone’s Games’” (Richard Barnes, Deputy Mayor of London and Chair, London 2012 Equality and Diversity Forum).

Incorporating the principles of Universal Design, the Olympic Park included coordinating crossings, drop off / pick up points and car parking with all other transport links for seamless movement through the park, as well as provision of seats and resting spaces, drinking fountains and additional space requirements for mobility equipment. The park supported all gender toilets, cultural and religious areas (e.g. prayer rooms) to accommodate faith requirements and level or gentle gradients throughout the site for easy access for all. The park also provided legacy considerations, including community use in what has historically been a more socially deprived area of London to address issues of opportunity and access to green space, sports, education, inclusive workspaces and affordable housing. The holistic approach to Universal Design and its integration has resulted in a widely celebrated site with standards that continue to be an example of good practice beyond their original purpose.

Universal Design in a post-pandemic world
As the building industry mobilizes its response for post-pandemic design, we must be asking ourselves how we can apply a similar lens of equity to future design solutions. It might be a wake-up call to realize that some of the most seemingly obvious strategies are not solutions for all. As an example, face masks hinder people who lipread, lifts and accessible toilets may be closed to ensure control circulation and reduced occupancy of enclosed spaces, and those with anxiety and depression will continue to struggle both in remote work situations and in the workplace.

Universal Design can be applied to ensure future post pandemic design strategies are as inclusive as possible, for example:

• Neurodiversity: With a specific focus on accommodating individuals with autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and learning disabilities, Neurodivergent Design is a burgeoning trend in the workplace and will continue to be a high priority in post-pandemic design. Universal Design encourages the exploration of ways in which design – including color, patterns, textures, sound and light – can create more equitable experiences within space. HOK recently published a report that outlines the importance of providing flexible options and control over surroundings to relieve anxiety for both Neurodivergent and Neurotypical individuals in post-pandemic workplaces.
• Mental Health and Wellness: The impacts of COVID-19 have contributed to an increase in anxiety and depression, elevating the importance of health and wellness as we return to the workplace. Universal Design promotes mental health strategies both through design and operational policy, as well as active design, social connectedness and ergonomics to positively impact wellness. CAMH Foundation recently released a COVID-19 Supplement to its Mental Health Playbook for Business Leaders that outlines strategies for the return to work, including creating a long-term plan, instituting mandatory mental health training for leadership and developing tailored mental health supports, among others.
• Technology: Technological advances will be an important support mechanism to the new ways we use our spaces, including automated sensors, lighting, computer software, apps and more. While technology has a history of providing increased levels of accessibility, it will be important to assess operational requirements across Universal Design goals and principles to ensure inclusive interpretations. As an example, in post COVID-19 environments lifts operated by smart phones will accommodate touch-free and at-hand controls but will rely on access to smartphones and the necessary compatible technology, which may not be available to everyone.
• Transportation: As lockdown restrictions begin to relax, government recommendations to walk or cycle instead of using cars and public transport will impact certain parts of the community more and in disproportionate ways. While health and safety measures of public transportation will remain critical, we can also embed Universal Design at the center of reshaping diverse methods of transportation, including cycling. ARUP, in a recent report, explores common barriers to public transportation facing women, people with disabilities, older individuals and other vulnerable populations and proposes solutions to make cycling in urban areas accessible and attractive for everyone.

Next steps for Universal Design and equity
Universal Design is garnering multidisciplinary interest among planners, designers and policymakers in the United States and internationally. The American Society for Landscape Architects recently published Universal Design Strategies and Norway has committed to achieving Universal Design in 2025. Equity initiatives have also emerged across building rating systems, including the LEED v4 Social Equity Pilot Credits and the WELL v2 Community Concept. This rise in interest suggests Universal Design will continue to evolve to help solve some of the most pressing equity challenges of our time.

As we strive for design strategies to mitigate risk and prevent disease, inclusion and equity will be critical to our efforts going forward. Now more than ever, equity must be central to the conversation around solutions-driven design in this post-pandemic environment. Through innovation, collaboration and creativity, Universal Design can be the catalyst for equity in our buildings, spaces and communities of tomorrow.

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Victoria Lanteigne, WELL AP is a PhD Student and Graduate Research Assistant with the College of Design at North Carolina State University. Mei-Yee Man Oram is an Associate and UK Access and Inclusion Lead with Arup. Both Victoria and Mei serve as WELL Community Concept Advisors and IWBI COVID-19 Task Force Members.