Using the Ecological Model to Teach Universal Design
Marcelo Pinto Guimaraes, UFMG/CAPES, Center for Universal Design, USA
This presentation refers to the development of a teaching strategy adopted for the design studio on universal design at the College of Design, North Carolina State University. Undergraduate students of architecture participated in the experiment.
For the first time one of the studio sections in the NCSU curriculum focused on the specifics of practicing universal design. The studio program included nine class hours weekly in a six credit course that provided an introduction on the constituent concepts of universal design according to the holistic perspective and the latter developed the application of such a model in a design of a public building.
The presentation describes the strategy adopted in the Studio. It covers the conceptual model that embedded the studio experience as well as providing some ideas about the design application of such concepts for the design of a community center in the university village that provides housing accommodation for international students.
Using a simple metaphor and analogy, the representation of UD in a three-dimensional installation can be obtained by making a set of seven boards that form a cylinder.
Each board contains specific ideas that explain not only one of the principles in detail but also includes information about complementary concepts and a bit of other principles as well.
Inside, the user is at the center of the cylinder as he or she is the focus of UD. Each principle is displayed at the same distance from the user who decides where and how to focus his or her attention. That demonstrates no hierarchical powers among the principles.
Description
The universal design conceptual framework presented in class was an attempt to integrate environmental solutions that seem originally set isolated or conceived apart in parallel worlds (the world of average people and the world of people with disabling conditions). It has not to do with a collection of combined good ideas that address the needs of specific user groups. Students were encouraged to see universal design as a unique approach to design that establishes the simultaneous accommodation of distinct disabilities (therefore, enhancing different abilities) of specific user groups only as a starting point at the very basic level. They worked on ideas for a general framework that could act as a common set for all users to plug in their needs and expectations, modify it and customize it to become part of their identity.
Given that the seven principles of UD are constituent parts of the whole concept, the didactic strategy organized tasks to enhance the understanding of each principle after students practiced discussions about the way the principles are interconnected with each other and with other concepts around them. As the interconnection can only be clearly defined through conceptual boundaries the students identified overlapping areas between pairs of principles and, working on sketches to illustrate such common grounds, they became familiar with other complementary concepts that extend the notion of universal design to be understood as an integrated framework.
Methodology
The studio activities comprised of a series of design exercises to demonstrate how students should start thinking about UD principles as an integrated set of ideas and considerations about users' abilities. Some fundamental elements of the ecological system model seemed to be very appropriate tools.
- Team works produced graphic presentations about the content of class discussions which focused on personal understanding of design problems and alternative solutions. Development of team work occurred at the conceptual stages of the design process and focused studies of individual work will attain to the proposition of design alternative.
- After completing the session of lectures related to the presentation of conceptual framework for the universal design principles, this course explored that knowledge in two major design projects. The first was about an exhibition of the principles of universal design in an 3-D installation as they were integrated in a holistic view along with other architectural concepts. The second project included both architectural and landscaping design for a Community Center for international students at the E.S. King Village in NCSU.
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The development of the design process also included the following tasks:
- programming for the design project and data collection procedures regarding accessibility issues and perception of users' behavior with participation of potential users and clients
- creation of scaled models, handmade sketches as well as computer generated technical drawings, multimedia with integrated text and graphic presentations
- in class consultation with distinguished guests that have personal experience on disability issues
- open critiques with participation of the faculty of the College of Design, the staff members of Center for Universal Design, international students, the staff of the NCSU housing services, guest visiting professors and other people in the community
Embedded in the overall teaching orientation were basic concepts highly adopted in the ecological model for environmental design:
- Adaptability - focus on the varied ways to address the needs of different users simultaneously.
- Cohesiveness - ideas must communicate the essence of addressing functional requirements throughout the general configuration including each one of the spatial elements.
- Consistency - design proposals are developed in many layers of conceptual links
- Progress through cycles - improvements to design ideas occur in a process of continuous development and growth emphasis on understanding concepts about users' needs beyond code requirements for access and use.
- Diversity - emphasis on understanding concepts about users' needs beyond code requirements for access and use.
- Redundancy - proposition of design ideas explores complementary ways to fill gaps in spatial relationships
- Sustainability - harmonious development of design ideas must induce positive behavioral change according to feasible implementation processes.
Discussion
Rather than simply putting together fragmented views, the framework of the ecological model for a broader understanding of the concept of universal design exhibits a more complex structure with a combination of personal engagement of student's interpretation of conceptual links and eventually functional overlaps.
Exploring complementary concepts in the overlapping areas between principles was important for students to translate examples of universal design from the scale of objects, equipment and products to the scale of buildings and urban spaces.
The outcome of such experiment demonstrates the need for students to participate more often in teamwork that can be openly discussed for following improvements of individual performance. The design ideas in the studio challenged students' perception of design solutions as one-way formulas to understand human needs. Class activities also considered the principles of universal design in broad terms that served as references for the application of design concepts at the scale of buildings and open spaces.