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

While speaking at the International Making Cities Livable Conference in Paris, I thought about the CNU and my desire that it do more for people with disabilities.

I thought about the frequent pushback from CNU members who have said the ADA is the enemy of historic preservation, urban housing types, organic placemaking, and aesthetic design.

I’m baffled why the ADA’s design standards are an unmovable roadblock to so many CNU-affiliated practitioners.

Is their creativity crushed by flood plain, fire safety, windstorm, setback, height limit, and myriad other building/zoning code requirements?