The design of barrier-free urban environments should take "all-age friendliness, universal inclusiveness, and dynamic adaptation" as its core concepts, and be carried out around four dimensions: safe passage, accessible information, convenient services, and psychological respect. Through spatial planning, facility configuration, and institutional guarantees, a "barrier-free, non-discriminatory, and borderless" urban living circle should be constructed. The following is elaborated from four aspects: design principles, key areas, technical means and collaborative mechanisms:
First, the core principles of design
General Design Principles
Abandon the mindset of "exclusive to specific groups" and shift towards a design that is "applicable to the entire population" :
Perceptibility: It provides information through multiple dimensions such as touch, hearing, and vision (such as combining blind paths with voice prompts).
Operability: The facilities are easy and intuitive to operate (such as automatic doors and low-level service desks), catering to the needs of children, the elderly and people with disabilities.
Fault tolerance: Anti-fall and anti-accidental touch designs are set up (such as anti-slip treatment of handrails and emergency braking devices).
Systematic design principle
Shift from "single-point facilities" to "all-domain network" planning:
Continuity: Ensure seamless connection of barrier-free facilities such as blind paths and ramps among roads, buildings and public transportation.
Accessibility: Eliminate the "last mile" obstacles, such as setting up barrier-free shuttle buses between communities and subway stations.
Flexibility: Reserve adjustable space to meet future demands (such as height-adjustable bus stops and modular ramps).
The principle of social integration
Emphasizing "accessibility" is not only about facilities, but also a manifestation of social inclusiveness:
Eliminate hidden obstacles: Avoid discriminatory designs in the service process (such as the height of bank counters being limited to those who stand only).
Promote social participation: Through public Spaces such as barrier-free parks and theaters, enable people with disabilities to participate in social life on an equal footing.
Second, key points of key area design
Unobstructed passage
Road system
The width of the sidewalk should be no less than 1.8 meters. The blind path should be continuous and avoid obstacles such as manhole covers and trees.
The slope of the ramp should be no more than 1:12 (no more than 1:10 for difficult sections), and double-layer handrails (0.7 meters and 0.9 meters in height) should be set up.
Public transportation
The subway station is equipped with barrier-free elevators, low-level ticket vending machines and wide-passage turnstiles.
The buses are equipped with wheelchair mounts and drop-off alarm bells, and there is no height difference between the platform and the floor of the carriage.
Information accessibility
Visual assistance
Public place signs adopt large fonts and high-contrast color schemes, and are equipped with Braille and audio guides.
Traffic lights are equipped with audible prompts to help visually impaired people determine the right time to pass.
Auditory assistance
Sign language interpretation services or real-time subtitles are provided in public places (such as government service halls and theaters).
The emergency broadcasting system is compatible with hearing AIDS (such as electromagnetic induction loops).
Barrier-free service
Public service facilities:
Low-level service desks (with a height of no more than 0.8 meters) are set up in government service halls, banks, etc., and are equipped with auxiliary tools such as writing boards and visual AIDS.
The bathroom adopts barrier-free compartments (with an area of ≥1.8 meters ×1.4 meters), and is equipped with handrails and emergency call buttons.
Community environment
Barrier-free ramps are set up at the entrance of residential buildings. The depth of elevator cars is no less than 1.4 meters, and the height of buttons is 0.9-1.1 meters.
The park trails are made of anti-slip materials, and the rest seats are
equipped with armrests and backrests.
Third, technological empowerment and innovative means
Intelligent assistance technology
Navigation system: Develop an accessible map APP to provide real-time alerts on the locations of blind paths, the distribution of ramps, and the status of elevators.
Wearable devices: Utilize smart bracelets, glasses and other devices to prompt obstacles or destinations through vibration or voice.
Internet of Things application: Install sensors in barrier-free facilities (such as elevators and restrooms) to monitor the usage status in real time and issue early warnings for faults.
New materials and processes
Anti-slip materials: High friction coefficient floor tiles (such as flamed granite) are used to reduce the risk of slipping in rainy and snowy weather.
Lightweight facilities: Portable ramps or handrails are made of materials such as aluminum alloy and carbon fiber, which are convenient for temporary adjustment.
Self-cleaning coating: Apply hydrophobic and oleophobic coatings on the surfaces of public facilities to reduce the adhesion of stains and the spread of bacteria.
Fourth, collaborative management and public participation
Institutional guarantee
Regulation improvement: Incorporate barrier-free design into the mandatory standards of urban planning, and clarify the responsibilities for construction, acceptance and maintenance.
Dynamic assessment: Regularly conduct satisfaction surveys on barrier-free environments and establish a problem feedback and rectification mechanism.
Multi-party collaboration
Government-led: Establish a special fund for barrier-free environment construction and coordinate resources from departments such as transportation, housing and urban-rural development, and civil affairs.
Social supervision: Encourage disabled individuals to organize and volunteer to participate in the acceptance and daily inspection of barrier-free facilities.
Public education: Popularize the concept of accessibility through public service advertisements and school courses to eliminate social prejudice.
Cultural shaping
Promotion and advocacy: Incorporate barrier-free design into the city's image promotion, emphasizing that "inclusiveness" is a symbol of modern civilization.
Exemplary Demonstration: Honor outstanding cases of barrier-free environment construction and promote the sharing of industry experience.
Fifth, Comparison and implications of Typical cases
Success case
Barrier-free renovation in Tokyo, Japan: Through the "Barrier-Free Map" APP and the intelligent public transportation system, visually impaired people can travel independently.
Barrier-free design of the Beijing Winter Olympic Village in China: Adjustable height furniture and a whole-house intelligent control system are adopted to meet the personalized needs of athletes.
Failure case
In a certain city, the blind path is a "dead-end road" : The blind path is occupied by shared bikes and construction barriers, making it impossible for visually impaired people to pass. Later, the problem was solved by clearly defining the penalty standards for occupying the blind path through legislation.
The barrier-free elevator at a certain subway station was out of service for a long time due to insufficient maintenance funds. Later, it was put back into use by introducing social capital to participate in its operation.
Core conclusion
The design of barrier-free urban environments should follow the path of "technology as the foundation, system as the guideline, and humanity as the soul", and integrate the barrier-free concept into the city's DNA through systematic planning, intelligent empowerment and the participation of the whole society. During the design process, it is necessary to avoid the misunderstanding of "emphasizing hardware over maintenance and form over experience", and focus on long-term operation and dynamic optimization, so that barrier-free environments can truly become a "standard configuration" rather than an "optional feature" of urban civilization.
