Accessible Design, 30 Years On
Tags: Accessible Design, Disability, Universal Design, Urban Planning, Architecture

What does inclusive design mean today? When it comes to buildings and public spaces, equal access has not only become expected — it’s written into law.

Thirty years ago, a landmark civil rights legislation was passed that would forever change architecture and urban design in the United States. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), signed on July 26, 1990, aimed to guarantee equal rights for 40 million Americans living with physical and mental disabilities.

Born out of a grassroots movement, the ADA barred discrimination in many areas of life, including employment, schools, transportation, and public services. For public buildings and spaces, the act enshrined a fundamental premise: that accessibility is a human right.

Design choices can either create physical barriers, or remove them; this has always been true, yet the ADA spurred a shift in mindset — among architects, but also the broader public. By establishing standards and mandating compliance, the law has made an incalculable impact for the one in four Americans living with a disability today. But while the standards are written in black and white, there are infinite ways in which they can be applied.

The trick is often in how to find inventive solutions to meet the standards, or even go beyond them. It’s not enough to simply tick off requirements; just as important as adhering to the letter of the law is embracing the broad spirit of inclusivity that it represents. Designing for accessibility is a creative opportunity, and one that architects and planners have seized in a multitude of ways. The aspiration is to create places that are not only inclusive, but also beautiful and inspiring.

Millennium Park, a model for universal design

In 1997, Chicago mayor Richard Daley announced plans to create the city’s most significant new park in a century. By covering a vast rail yard to extend the historic Grant Park northward, this new public space — called Millennium Park — would be built atop what is effectively the world’s largest roof garden.

The master plan for Millennium Park recalls Chicago’s rich tradition of Beaux-Arts public spaces. At the same time it demonstrates new ideas for what a 21st-century park can be. Its inviting pavilions and iconic works of public art, like Anish Kapoor’s “Cloud Gate,” immediately come to mind. But one of the most significant innovations at Millennium Park, less noticeable to most visitors, was the attention paid to creating a seamlessly accessible experience.

Anish Kapoor’s reflective “Cloud Gate” has become an instant Chicago icon. Photo © Petr Kratochvil

The guiding principle for Millennium Park was universal design — creating a place that could be enjoyed in the same way by all people, regardless of ability or disability. The planning team applied this approach to laying out every element of the park, including pathways, pavilions, and picnic areas. Ramps were designed for everyone to use — not placed as an afterthought, but crafted as an integral part of the landscape.

While these ideas may seem commonplace today, they were certainly not taken for granted at the time. “We employed new ideas around topography and infrastructure to achieve an almost entirely barrier-free outcome,” says Peter Kindel, an urban design and planning director at SOM. “If you go there today, you may not even notice that you can move through almost the entire park without negotiating any steps, despite significant elevation changes in several areas.”