Universal Design Principles

The term ‘universal design’ was coined by the architect Ronald Lo Mace to describe the concept of designing all products and the built environment to be aesthetic and usable to the greatest extent possible of their age, ability or status in life.

1)Equitable use
2)Flexibility in use
3)Simple and intuitive
4)Perceptible information
5)Tolerance for error
6)Low physical effort
7)Size and space for approach and use

We as a group observed these 7 principles and the insufficient realization of them in the city of Ankara.

The first principle of universal design is equitable use; this principle examines the fact that whether the design is useful to people with diverse abilities or not.

Güvenpark/Kızılay

In this photo, we observed that, this principle is not been taken  into consideration  as all of the telephones are in the same height; they are only useful for the people having same height.

Meşrutiyet/Kızılay

Similarly in this photo, the deficiencies on the way of realizing the principle, can easily be observed.

For both of the designs, the different heights should have been considered. The second principle is flexibility in use, which is about the effectiveness of design while accommodating  a wide range of individual preferences and abilities.  Eskişehir Road / Ankara For instance; in this photo, we spotted out that the road does not allow people to change their road direction therefore they are  restricted in that sense.  Meşrutiyet/ Kızılay In this photo, though there are two different ways in order to climb, people choose the automatic  ones, so the ones in the middle are not used and actually the ways are reduced to one. So the design does not achieve this principle. The third principle is the simple and intuitive use, which deals with the easiness to understand, regardless of  the users experiences, knowledge and language skills, or current consentration levels.  Atatürk Bulvarı / Kızılay

Gazi Mustafa Kemal Bulvarı/ Kızılay In these photos, there is not any audio system for the traffic lamb for  the people who can not see. So the intuitive side of the design is not thought well. The fourth principle is ‘’perceptible information ’’.This principle mainly includes the success of the design while communicating necessary information effectively to the user, regardless of ambient  conditions  or the user’s sensory abilities.                                                                      Polatlı /Ankara In this photo we can understand from the closeness of the car to the stairs, this principle is not well considered.  The fifth principle signifies the importance of tolerance for error. The design     needs to minimize hazards and the adverse consequences of accidental or unintended actions. Gölbaşı/Ankara In this photo, the electric pole is put on the pavement, where people mostly walks on, so an accident may occur. The sixth principle underlines the idea of low physical effort.To ensure this principle,the design should be used efficiently and comfortably and with a minimum of fatigue. Sokullu / Ankara However in this photo the slope is extremely high for people to climb, hence they spend a very high amount of effort. Finally, the principle of size and space for approach and use, deals with the fact that whether the size and space is provided for approach, reach, manipulation and use regardless of users’ body size, posture or mobility. Kızılay / Ankara In these photos the size of stairs do not have a standard arrangement. Consequently an unpleasant view and a structure open to danger occurs.                 Prepared by:                                                   SEDA BERTAN                                                               SU KORKMAZ                                                                     ASLIHAN OKMAN                                                                   GİZEM ÖZDEMİR                                                                 ŞEYDA PİRANA

Universal Design Principles