Equity in Accessibility of the Built Environment
61 million adults in the United States have a disability, which is about 25% of the population.13.7 percent of people with a disability have mobility difficulties that prevent them from walking or climbing stairs.
The picture I captured is of the stairs in front of San Luis Obispo’s downtown theater that is underground. The stairs are very pretty and experiential, especially at night lit up by the lights. This entry sequence usually goes unnoticed when visitors are rushing to purchase movie tickets.
61 million adults in the United States have a disability, which is about 25% of the population.
Entry stairway leading down to Downtown SLO Cinemas
However, the stairs provide an effective threshold going from the public downtown spaces down into a more private experience of viewing movies, a buffer space for friends to gather up, or couples to linger around after a movie ends. I am unsure where the elevator is located at the theaters if they have any.
The lack of ADA compliant ramps or elevators pose a problem because first of all, the theaters are not easily accessible by people with mobility disabilities. Secondly, the experience of entering from the main entrance is taken away from people with disabilities when every visitor should have an equitable experience regardless of their physical mobility.
Disability Access Consultants in collaboration with the County of San Luis Obispo has released a plan to incorporate buildingsand facilities in accordance with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Title II, and the California building code to improve public accessibility and not discriminate. Moreover, the Department of Justice and the Federal Highway Administration's Americans with Disabilities Act require that pedestrians with disabilities also have equal opportunity when using the public transportation system in an accessible and safe manner.
every visitor should have an equitable experience regardless of their physical mobility.
Emily Baker, artist, and disability activist states in a tweet that “I hope someday disabled people will be included in every space. If you’re not a part of the solution to this with the work, you partake in you’re a part of the problem.” (Baker, 2022) As individuals we can urge governments and organizations to enforce disability acts. As an architecture student myself, I can do better to be more intentional in my design concepts to prioritize accessibility as a core driving concept. I would like to argue that while it is important to make sure spaces are accessible, designers and planners should go the extra step to make sure that spaces are equitable as well. This means that it is not enough to shove an elevator in a corner just to meet code requirements. Planners must make sure to provide equal opportunity for everyone and make sure they are able to experience the same spatial qualities when visiting a place. #
Sources
Zallio, M., & Clarkson, P. J. (2021, September 16). Inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility in the built environment: A Study of Architectural Design Practice. Building and Environment. Retrieved October 16, 2022, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360132321007496
Emily Baker, EB [@celestial_investments]. (2022, October 5) Twitter. https://www.instagram.com/p/CjgItpBOG3_/
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020, September 16). Disability impacts all of us infographic. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved October 17, 2022, from https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/disabilityandhealth/infographic-disability-impacts-all.html
Departments - county of san luis obispo - California. (n.d.). Retrieved October 18, 2022, from https://www.slocounty.ca.gov/Departments.aspx