WHY UNIVERSAL DESIGN IS CRITICAL

TOO MANY ARCHITECTS, PLANNERS, TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERS AND URBAN DESIGNERS REDUCE THE ADA TO SOME KIND OF ONEROUS HURDLE THAT MUST BE LEAPED

A classic example of a failure occurred because the designer obsessed on the pure numbers of complying with the ADA versus creating Universal Design.

A festival marketplace style mall in Miami underwent a total renovation to reposition for current restaurant-retail trends.

The main open-air space is up a few steps from the sidewalk—perhaps for sea level rise reasons.

The plaza has plenty of space to use topography to make a gentle grade.

Sure enough, there is ramp that makes the space compliant.

But half of the frontage has a few small steps.

People trip over the steps and crowd the ramp. There is no reason why the entire approach could not have been gently sloped.