Sample Photos

These images illustrate several different expressions of universal design (good and bad) in the landscape. The photographs are meant to illustrate different ways in which the built environment can support and/or hinder the inclusive nature of public places and private environments.. These images are posted for educational purposes only; failure to cite this website as a source for academic papers and use is an infringement of U.S. copyright laws.:

Aids Memorial Grove
Golden Gate State Park, San Francisco, CA

Entrance to the walkway leading down to the contemplation circle at the bottom of the 'hollow'.

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One pathway for all to take is designed so that all experience the same sense of movement both down and into the landscape in the same manner. Railings on both sides of the walkway are useful not only for people using wheelchairs or other mobility aids, but also for a range of people to lean against and rest upon. It also serves to reduce 'shortcutting' through the garden -- a critical concern since slopes in many areas exceed 2:1.

Overlook at Mt. St. Helens National Park
Washington

This overlook at Mt. St. Helens provides an excellent example of how materials and attention to detail can make a place 'blend in' and serve the needs of all users, regardless of age, ability, or stature. The small stone curb surrounding the overlook provides a wheel stop for the chair, while also providing a sensory cue to those with sight impairments. As it does these things, it in no way inhibits the view, and in fact presents an appropriate level of 'challenge and support' in what is a wilderness environment (again, note that regardless of ability, many people share the desire to experience the wilderness in a manner that is not 'sterile' or 'rigidly safe'; for more information on this, please see the USDA Forest Service materials on the 'Recreational Opportunity Spectrum'.) Photo taken from the "Exemplars of Universal Design" collection, published by Adaptive Environments.

Pier 7
San Francisco, CA

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The entrance to Pier 7 in downtown San Francisco, immediately adjacent to the Embarcadero, is a wonderful example of how subtle and invisible good inclusive or universal design can be. Here, note that a small grade change between the sidewalk and the pier is taken up with a ramp centered on axis with the pier, while a short flight of stairs flanks the ramp on each side. Ramps are useable by a far greater percentage of the population than are stairs, and this design flips the traditional use of stairs as primary route and replaces it with the more inclusive ramp. As you can see, the resultant place is not one valued only in terms of its usefulness to those needing to use a ramp, but is seen by many other constituents (people using bikes, strollers, skateboards, etc.) as a successful and attractive place to be.

Here you are looking west down the pier; note the ability for those giving bike tours to easily access the pier so that, in this case, riders can experience a unique and wonderful view of the city.

Accessible Fountain
Near Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco, CA

Fountain design is one area that many designers have taken to heart the notion of universal design. Here you see a very subtle example in the Fisherman's Wharf area of San Francisco, where the multiple levels of the fountain and the vertical sides allow people to touch and feel the water, regardless of stature or ability. The lower wall is also very close to the optimal height for transferring from a typical adult wheelchair, allowing those who wish an opportunity to sit directly on the fountain itself.

Accessible Interpretive Signage
Golden Gate State Park, San Francisco, CA

This example illustrates several things in addition to the signage. In terms of the signage, note that the contrasting black and white enhances the ability for individuals with sight impairments to see and interpret the information; the height and angle of the sign also make it easy for a wide range of users to see and read the material, while also blending in with the surrounding landscape, due to its lower height. Also note the lack of rails in the picture, having been replaced with wheel stops that define the edge of the raised walkway while maintaining a clear view to the plants in the garden.

This is a less successful example of signage, due to the bright background that can make it hard for some to see the information; This is tempered somewhat by the colorful map that does make it fairly easy to see the overall plan of the site (a positive example of wayfinding).

Central Park
Davis, CA

The fountain in Davis, California's Central Park is a wonderful example of a design element that welcomes the interaction of all, regardless of age, ability, stature, gender, or culture. It also increases the flexibility of the place in that when the fountain is turned off, the city possesses a large urban plaza useable for concerts or other large gatherings (multiple use of space)

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Also in Davis' Central Park, here is an example of a situation that did not need to happen. Simply ramping the entire walkway down, or taking an approach similar to that at Pier 7 (pictured above), would have increased the level of equity in terms of access to the lower grassy commons.

Federal Courthouse Building
Eugene, OR

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Whether the designer was attempting to 'differentiate space' through the use of stairs, or attempting to thwart would-be terrorists, this new design of the entry plaza for the U.S. Federal building in Eugene, Oregon is a prime example of how those unable to use stairs are discriminated against in the built environment. While able to access the front door via ramps around the edges of the plaza, the experience of the plaza and the entry sequence from the street to the door ( certainly a consideration of the designer) is only truly accessible to those able to ascend steps.

The ramp at Eugene's Federal Building, which leads from a different corner altogether than does the main entry plaza, appears pleasant enough as you begin to move up it (seemingly an example of 'separate but equal'); However.......

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At the top of the ramp one is left to move through a dark passageway directly adjacent to offices and under an oppressive overhang. Clearly, this is not an equatable experience to moving through the open, tree-lined plaza. And even if it were an 'equatable experience', the notion of separate experiences is inherently inequitable.

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