Experts in architecture, urbanism, and design participated this Wednesday in Madrid in a meeting organized by AccessibleEU to discuss the integration of accessibility in building and urban environments. They concluded that the concept of accessibility should be linked to usability and extended to groups such as seniors, children, and families in general.
Titled ‘Accessibility and Housing: Are the needs of all people considered?’, the event took place at the Official College of Architects of Madrid, an entity that also organized it alongside AccessibleEU and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Agenda.
The opening session was attended by the Director-General of Urban Agenda and Architecture at the Ministry of Housing and Urban Agenda, María Teresa Verdú; the Vice President of the International Union of Architects, Teresa Táboas; the President of the Superior Council of Architects of Spain, Marta Vall-llosera; the Director-General of the ONCE Foundation, José Luis Martínez Donoso; the President of the Spanish Committee of Representatives of People with Disabilities in the Community of Madrid, Óscar Moral, and the Dean of the Official College of Architects of Madrid, Sigfrido Herráez.
Verdú emphasized that «accessibility is not an option but a right that must be present in all policies aimed at achieving habitable environments and cities for everyone. Speaking about accessibility means talking about a right that should guide the design of cities, buildings, and homes so that all people can enjoy them, whether they have disabilities, are seniors, or children,» she argued.
She also pointed out the need to work on accessibility (always as an integrated element in any architectural project) in new construction as well as in the already built environment, as there are «many deficiencies» related, for example, to the installation of elevators or ramps.
Similarly, Táboas and Vall-llosera agreed that despite the progress made, there is still work to be done to ensure that all individuals feel comfortable not only in their homes but also in the public spaces formed by homes, which are the collective space that generates so much cohesion and inclusion. «Together, we can build a future where the word ‘access’ is synonymous with possibility,» emphasized the international representative of architects.
The Director-General of the ONCE Foundation also highlighted that «accessibility in the built environment is essential to guarantee the inclusion of people with disabilities.» He stressed that this principle is even more critical in homes, «spaces where we spend a large part of our daily lives.»
He called for common areas in residential environments to be accessible, as they foster interaction and community life. This need, he believes, becomes even more relevant in new forms of housing, such as ‘cohousing’ and ‘coliving,’ where the relationship between neighbors is an essential aspect.
Moral emphasized the importance of informing and educating the groups involved in one way or another with accessibility measures, so they understand that it is a «real and necessary» issue that affects people with disabilities, as well as seniors or others who may have mobility problems at some point.
The purpose of this meeting is to promote solutions that ensure more inclusive and functional built environments. A report prepared in 2021 by the Mutual Owners Foundation and the Spanish Confederation of People with Physical and Organic Disabilities (COCEMFE) revealed that 63% of Spanish homes are not accessible to people with reduced mobility, and only 0.6% are fully accessible.
«HOUSING IS THE BEGINNING OF THE ENTIRE ACCESSIBILITY CHAIN»
Therefore, the event also featured architects, urban planners, and designers who presented viewpoints and experiences to develop accessibility measures for housing from different perspectives. There were three working sessions with the themes: ‘Do I have the option to live in the house I want and need?’, ‘Home, sweet home: my house, my way,’ and ‘Shaping the house of your dreams.’
The first session (‘Do I have the option to live in the house I want and need?’) addressed public housing offerings, housing policies, and their legislation (Horizontal Property Law) as essential issues that the public administration at all levels (national, regional, and local) must address to meet the needs of all citizens, as stated by Jesús Hernández, Director of AccessibleEU, who also participated in the event.
The second session, titled ‘Home, sweet home: my house, my way,’ focused on the daily needs of people with disabilities and seniors and how the lack of accessibility in housing environments poses one of the most significant problems in their daily lives. «European trends such as those established in the New European Bauhaus should support and promote the design of housing for all people,» emphasized Hernández.
Finally, the session titled ‘Shaping the house of your dreams’ analyzed how to meet the demands set by public agendas and, above all, by those who will inhabit the homes. «Housing is the beginning of the entire accessibility chain in people’s daily lives, so it is essential to address accessibility as a priority at this point,» concluded from AccessibleEU.
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