Learning Environments for Special Needs

6 Mins Read

There’s a common misconception that Architecture is just about creating a built environment encompassing all aspects of human lives. But Architecture is about creating experiences, experiences that provide comfort in making the day-to-day human life tranquil and quiescent.

Although over the past few decades, the ubiquitous influence of architecture has shaped the world to be quite a liveable place with a suitable environment that caters to most lifestyles; such environments vary depending on the user’s lifestyle.

Currently, it has been estimated that 1.3 billion people suffer from a significant disability which denotes 16% of the world’s population and 1 in 6 of us, as reported by WHO on 7 March 2023. People may think disability refers to a single population. Still, it is a diverse group of people with a vast range of needs, and no two people suffering from the same kind of disability get affected homogeneously. Discerning disability is a difficulty in itself, as there are three main dimensions to it; Impairment, Activity limitation, and participation restrictions.

Disability is an integral part of human experiences and life; everyone gets affected by its experience at some point, if not temporarily, then permanently. Architects must reorient their values towards designing experiences inclusive to everyone, making it fundamental to lay the groundwork for a neo-disabled-accessible society. It is detrimental for Architects to make a radical shift in architectural practice; to consider designing the built environment by examining the existing public/private spaces and asserting the physical accessibility of such spaces. People with disability experience more constraints in everyday life than others; thus, addressing such limitations in the traditional notion of design can help integrate the disabled-friendly into the homogeneous environment.

Universal Design

An inclusive design approach that goes against the grain and profoundly amalgamates people of all ages and abilities in the community is known as Universal Design UDL. If designers all across the globe adapt to this method and make it an integral part of their design, architecture would be an exemplar of awareness towards disability; our landscapes, historic sites, public spaces, commercial spaces, and educational facilities would constantly promote, protect and ensure equity for all abilities.

The pedagogy of inclusivity via UDL must be initiated from the basic roots of society through educational institutions and learning centres. Every child is special, and differently abled kids have as much right to etiquette schooling experience as other kids. Architects can start by examining the current design scenario of educational spaces and listening to the needs of students and teachers, addressing the needs through their meaningful design; by creating similar experiences for everyone, both abled and non-able people.

Learning Environments for Special Needs - Sheet1 — Dhurpad Shukla. (March 30, 2023) School for Blind and Visually Impaired Children. _©https://www.archdaily.com/998667/how-can-buildings-work-for-everyone-the-future-of-inclusivity-and-accessibility-in-architecture/64237b349fb6b75c29bc0694-how-can-buildings-work-for-everyone-the-future-of-inclusivity-and-accessibility-in-architecture-photo

Accessibility

Rather than making separate access points for different groups, it is more inclusive and easier to make all the facilities accessible to everyone. Ramps as a means of circulating from one level to another rather than traditional stairs is a better choice as it allows disabled students to use the same mode of access as others. While designing paths, the grading of the land must be considered so that steps and ramps can be located simultaneously, allowing all users to perceive the site similarly. If a multi-storied building, elevators are fundamental to make all the floors within reach and close to important functional spaces.

Learning Environments for Special Needs - Sheet2 — Studio Vulkan. Village centre of Meilen Switzerland _©https://www.arch2o.com/architecture-design-disabled/arch2o-architecture-design-for-the-disabled-people-15/

The most common means of commuting for the general public is via public transportation. Having a learning center that directly connects to the public transport station makes it convenient for users to access the area and incorporates a user-friendly wayfinding strategy.

Learning Environments for Special Needs - Sheet3 — Odedara B. How Can Buildings Work for Everyone? The Future of Inclusivity and Accessibility in Architecture. _©https://www.archdaily.com/998667/how-can-buildings-work-for-everyone-the-future-of-inclusivity-and-accessibility-in-architecture/64237c8936d73d2f12ce5bee-how-can-buildings-work-for-everyone-the-future-of-inclusivity-and-accessibility-in-architecture-photo

It is through our senses that we perceive the world around us, and it is through them that our perception of the world is heightened. The awareness of a surrounding environment can be created through an individual’s senses; taking advantage of smell, taste, and touch, Designers can utilise the external stimulus by playing with materiality and a variety of textures to create a sensorial learning experience.

Reachability

Furniture should be designed appropriately in such a manner that it is easier for people to access them. The size at which essential fixtures and tools are designed for the classroom should be based on the height and age of the students accommodating the space as they need to be well adjusted and flexible enough to the student’s needs.

Marquardt V. (12 June 2020) Inclusive Schools: Designing for Disability in Classrooms. _©https://hmcarch.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/3429002000_N4_hmchigh-1280×853.jpg

Dynamics

The dynamics of a classroom play a vital role in benefiting the user experience on campus. Flooding the interior spaces with natural lights, soothing colours, good acoustics, outside connectivity, and appropriately designed fixtures not just benefits the disabled but everyone who visits them.

By incorporating such design elements in designing schools for differently abled students inclusive to everyone, Architects aid in fostering a sense of strong connectivity among non differently abled and the differently abled. Thus, allowing a sense of gratification among students by making every child feel special and no longer having the need to make them disparate.

Reference:

-Archdaily. (2 December 2022). The Architecture of Disability: Buildings, Cities, and Landscapes beyond Access. [online]

https://www.archdaily.com/993137/the-architecture-of-disability-buildings-cities-and-landscapes-beyond-access?ad_source=search&ad_medium=projects_tab&ad_source=search&ad_medium=search_result_all