The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities defines the term universal design as the design of products, environments, programs and services to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, w...The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities defines the term universal design as the design of products, environments, programs and services to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design. This paper attempts to highlight the importance of universal design as a core element in the training of architects and engineers. It emphasizes the need for students to take an interdisciplinary, comprehensive, and analytic approach to universal design through degree courses in these fields. An interdisciplinary teaching program for universal design as part of an introductory course for first-year students at Bergen University College in Norway, illustrates one possible strategy for raising awareness of universal design and for improving interaction across disciplines. In this context, the paper discusses the relevance of the seven principles of universal design as guidelines for the built environment. It also emphasizes why universal design should be an integral part of established subjects rather than be classified as a separate subject in a bachelor＇s or master＇s degree program.展开更多
文摘The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities defines the term universal design as the design of products, environments, programs and services to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design. This paper attempts to highlight the importance of universal design as a core element in the training of architects and engineers. It emphasizes the need for students to take an interdisciplinary, comprehensive, and analytic approach to universal design through degree courses in these fields. An interdisciplinary teaching program for universal design as part of an introductory course for first-year students at Bergen University College in Norway, illustrates one possible strategy for raising awareness of universal design and for improving interaction across disciplines. In this context, the paper discusses the relevance of the seven principles of universal design as guidelines for the built environment. It also emphasizes why universal design should be an integral part of established subjects rather than be classified as a separate subject in a bachelor＇s or master＇s degree program.
