PROJECT DESCRIPTION
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The project aimed to create a unique building, one that was made totally accessible to all disabled people, but most particularly one that was designed for the first time to include deafblind people. The National Centre for Deafblindness was the dream of deafblind people themselves, and its purpose is to fill three functions:
- To be a high profile, accessible headquarters for the national charity Deafblind UK.
- To be an educational resource for children and adults to introduce them to the world of deafblindness and the humanity of deafblind people.
- To be a transparent example of a modern working charity.
Incorporating true access to disabled people throughout every aspect of the building had high resource implications. These were covered by launching a specific fundraising appeal to meet the capital costs.
METHOD
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Deafblind UK’s board of directors are themselves deaf blind and it was they who determined the high level of public involvement. Their own experience of life told them how the views and needs of disabled people are frequently overlooked in building design, or included in a minimal, token way. The building was designed to be accessible to all and therefore the disabled public were those targeted. 3000 deafblind people were consulted and involved with the project’s development using Braille and Moon descriptors, tactile models and maps, audio descriptors and consultation meetings using different sign languages.
Deafblind people acted as access consultants and disabled people from all backgrounds tested prototype features before they were installed. Not all disabled people agree on what true access is so this process was necessarily complex and highly analytical.
Right from the beginning Deafblind UK involved people by taking them to the plot of land where the building was being constructed.
BENEFIT
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"The project far exceeds the requirements of the Disability Discrimination act and because of the high level of consultation with deafblind and disabled people our building is totally accessible. We receive many visitors including school children, the general public, health care professionals and, because of our conference facilities, the business community. Because of the input we have had, any of these visitors who have disabilities are able to come to the centre in complete confidence that their needs will be met. Such careful incisive design also makes the building accessible, pleasant and easy to use for everyone else." said the client.
One of the things learnt by the project team was that when people can visit and view special access features they are more likely to go away and replicate them. In this way the centre can serve as a model.
Involving deafblind and disabled people in regular site visits gave them a real sense of ownership of and sustained their interest throughout the project’s construction process.
