A c c e s s i b i l i t y a n d S o c i a l S u s t a i n a b i l i t y
115
In order to develop the best investigation and assessment method to understand the
accessibility of the Italian historical universities, it is first necessary the deeply knowledge
of the different types of disability and the perceptual and behavioral variances that they
involve in the interaction between people with disabilities and environment.
Therefore, we have to consider that an element that is a barrier for a person with a
certain disability may instead represent "an important element for others" (Italian
Guidelines for the overcoming of architectural barriers in cultural interest places, 2008).
For example thinking about a step: for mobility impaired people it represents an obstacle,
while for sensory impaired people it can be an important element of orientation
references.
For these reasons, the first methodological phase divides the disabilities into two
different macro-systems: that of mobility disabilities (including people with a manual
wheelchair, with power wheelchair, the old people and in general with reduced mobility
capacities and the families with children on strollers) and that of sensorial disabilities (the
blind, the visually impaired, the deaf and the hard of hearing people).
After this important premise the accessibility assessment tool is developed according to
a methodological approach consisting in an analysis phase, an assessment phase and a
synthesis phase. In this assessment tool they are identified 4 spatial areas of
investigation, which are invariant for each study case:
•
Surroundings and Entrances (bus stops, parking, paving, entrances to the
building);
•
Ground Floor (horizontal links, indoor functions, rooms entrances);
•
Vertical links (stairs, lifts);
•
Upper Floors (horizontal links, indoor functions, rooms entrances).
Each spatial area of investigation, which is an invariant component, matches the
surveyed architectural elements, which are variables in relation to different analyzed
study cases.
Since the early studying phases it has been necessary to structure the assessment tool
in a unit chart, divided into 3 columns (one column for each phase of investigation:
analysis, assessment and synthesis), each of which sectioned into 2 further columns: the
analysis is divided into a part with Areas of investigation and a part with Detected Items,
the assessment part distinguishes the accessibility assessment for mobility impaired
people and the accessibility assessment for sensory impaired people (Fig.5).
In particular, the assessment is obtained through a descriptive part, which shows the
fundamental characteristics of the detected elements (for example the materials, the
height differences, the presence or absence of particular devices, etc.) and a part of
qualitative evaluation according to 3 different levels of accessibility, which correspond in
the chart to different symbols and colors:
•
not accessible (signed with red “stop”);
•
accessible with assistance (signed with yellow “plus”);
•
accessible in complete independence (signed with white “tick”).
This double approach to the accessibility assessment (a technical and descriptive
method on one hand and a visual and qualitative method on the other hand) wants to
stress the importance of obtaining a tool that can be as easy as possible to be
understood and that can be used not only by the technical staff, but also by all users to
whom it actually refers.
In parallel with the accessibility assessment it is reported in the chart also a preliminary
synthesis for each area of investigation, which enables the identification of a brief report
of all the problems encountered.
Furthermore, the general data of the University analyzed are collected and organized in
the chart in order to obtain a feedback and immediate comparisons between the different
study cases and their specific roles of the historical buildings in the Italian university
