Architectural Accessibility of Historic Legacy: The Social Aspect and Design Prospects

World Multidisciplinary Civil Engineering-Architecture-Urban Planning Symposium - WMCAUS

土木建筑工程

Borowczyk, Joanna^1

Technical University of Lodz, Politechniki 6, Lodz

90-924, Poland^1

关键词: Building complexes;    Cultural environment;    Intuitive understanding;    Optimal conditions;    People with disabilities;    Persons with disabilities;    Professional experiences;    Spatial discrimination;   

Others  :  https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1757-899X/245/5/052087/pdf
DOI  :  10.1088/1757-899X/245/5/052087

学科分类：土木及结构工程学

来源: IOP

【 摘 要 】

Due to the necessity of eliminating civilizational backwardness, the contemporary discourse concerning the tradition and post-modernity is based on the assumption that the cultural environment is a part of an integrated system, and its function and form undergo changes in the course of a constant and complex process determined by the current economic, political as well as cultural circumstances. The recognition of the value of architectural monuments is an obvious fact, however, the idea of democratizing the legacy in the context of universal spatial design is a relatively new phenomenon. Adjusting the historic monuments to the needs of people with various limitations affecting their mobility and perception is less and less frequently considered in terms of oppression or arduousness. It has started to be perceived as a potential catalyser of positive changes. Architectural accessibility might contribute to popularizing the knowledge regarding the significance of historical legacy and provide the conditions for its sustainable development and stable subsistence. It is necessary to answer the question: can the cultural space along with the preserved throughout the history tradition of the absence of the excluded groups have a universal character, so that the conditions of using and experiencing this space by people with disabilities would not exceed their capacities. Owing to the fact that the application of universal design principles is practically more complex than the intuitive understanding of the concept itself, there is a need to continue multidirectional research taking into account methods for the real application of the assumptions underlying the ideas of social egalitarianism. The aim of the paper is adding new concepts to the debate on the roots of spatial discrimination and possibilities of counteracting this phenomenon by modifying the monuments, building complexes and historic places. The conclusions have been based on the analyses of international law regulations and available literature data, but, first of all, on the experience resulting from the cooperation with the people whose exploitation of the space environments is affected by various limitations and with the institutions through which they are organized. The dynamic and competent social and scientific dialogue concerning the issue of universality cannot be possible without the involvement of persons with disabilities. The article is a voice in the discussion on the common accessibility standards and it attempts to answer a question whether, due to the risk of degrading the original buildings tissue, the introduction of physical changes implied by the ongoing socio-cultural transformation should be limited or rather supported. The paper includes suggestions concerning harmless modifications and supplementing the existing building tissue with those elements which could play a role in creating optimal conditions for the inhabitants' wellbeing and further socio-cultural development. The Author presents arguments supporting the statement that a proper understanding of the physical and mental needs of the users, professional experience as well as a proper level of awareness and empathy might open new possibilities to the designers, thus contributing to the effective reduction of the barriers existing in the space or even to their complete elimination.