All for One

How would you navigate a corner if you were hearing-impaired or enjoy school if you were on the spectrum? These architects posit that inclusive design must be part of mainstream standards to improve overall living environments.

- TEO JINGMEI

When Lekker Architects was engaged to design Kindle Garden — an inclusive kindergarten that would also take in students with special needs — the design team realised how myopic their perception of inclusive design was.

“(We had the) idea that inclusive design was simply about adjusting a space so that everyone could use it — the concept of ‘make a bigger table so everyone can join in’,” says Josh Comaroff, who heads the firm together with his wife and architect Ong KerShing. Both are also architectural educators in local universities.

The staff at AWWA (Asian Women Welfare Association), who runs Kindle Garden, quickly highlighted to him that, in fact, many special needs conflict with each other. “A ‘hypersensitive’ person with autism needs a very calming environment; a tiny amount of stimulus has a very big effect on them,” Comaroff elaborates.

“On the other hand, a hypersensitive person who is also ‘on the spectrum’ needs a lot of visual and auditory input; ideally, their environments are vibrant, buzzy and full of life. Kids (with these divergent needs) might occupy the same classroom and have peers with auditory or visual impairments.”

This situation reflects the condition of our larger world, which is filled with people who manoeuvre their surroundings differently compared to most able-bodied and neurotypical persons. Given that the advancement in modern medicine means people live longer — even those with disabilities the discourse is necessary, notes the Human Rights Careers website.

COMPLEX CHALLENGES

Universal Design (UD) codes mandated in most countries aim to create spaces that are accessible to all, factoring in age, ability, gender, and culture. But inclusive architecture and design go beyond simply making wider pathways for wheelchairs to incorporate areas of neurodiversity, invisible disabilities, and wellness issues like anxiety, Comaroff adds.