Universal Design Handbook, 2E Review

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(More customer reviews)Universal Design Handbook
by Wolfgang F. E. Preiser (Senior Editor) and Elaine Ostroff (Editor)
How universal is Universal Design? Wolfgang Preiser, Senior Editor of the Universal Design Handbook and noted expert in Building Evaluation and Programming, said "Universal Design is not about dimensions. It is an attitude." The impact of that attitude is felt across the world.
The Handbook contains 69 essays from leaders in their fields. Voices from the Third World propose solutions for densely populated regions. Europe and the United States continue to look to technology for labor-saving devices. What they all share is a commitment to design for the greatest number of potential users.
The literary styles are as varied as the solutions they propose. Case studies provide guidelines for professors considering similar studies. Theoretical papers discuss positions and implications. Historical narratives describe accomplishments to date. Topics range from transportation systems to bathroom design, from kitchen gadgets to computers. The authors are extremely candid about their successes and their failures. The common thread is their belief that solutions for one user group often benefit others.
The most remarkable aspect of the Handbook is the list of references at the end of each essay. Almost none of the authors reference the same sources. This is due in part to the fact that there are practitioners in almost every country in the world; however, until the Handbook, there was no keystone, defining text. Future scholars take note!
Elaine Ostroff, editor of the Universal Design Handbook, identifies the start of the Universal Design movement as the landmark legal decision Brown vs. the Board of Education. The resolution of the issue of segregated education led to the demand for inclusion in the classroom for children with birth defects. Activist veterans in turn demanded access to the workplace for veterans maimed in combat. With the support of various Civil Rights groups and the American Association of Retired Persons, the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed a decade ago. The hammer of litigation has codified the gains made by this particular movement, resulting in widespread resentment against it. The philosophy of the movement has been undermined by compliance enforcement. Universal Design as an idea goes beyond the letter of the law to benefit the world.

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The Latest Advances in Universal Design
Thoroughly updated and packed with examples of global standards and design solutions, Universal Design Handbook, Second Edition, covers the full scope of universal design, discussing how to develop media, products, buildings, and infrastructure for the widest range of human needs, preferences, and functioning. This pioneering work brings together a rich variety of expertise from around the world to discuss the extraordinary growth and changes in the universal design movement.
The book provides an overview of universal design premises and perspectives, and performance-based design criteria and guidelines. Public and private spaces, products, and technologies are covered, and current and emerging research and teaching are explored. This unique resource includes analyses of historical and contemporary universal design issues from seven different countries, as well as a look at future trends. Students, advocates, policy makers, and design practitioners will get a theoretical grounding in and practical reference on the physical and social roles of design from this definitive volume.
UNIVERSAL DESIGN HANDBOOK, SECOND EDITION, COVERS:
United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
U.S. accessibility codes and standards, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
Life safety standards and guidelines
Universal design implementations in Norway, Japan, France, Germany, Brazil, Italy and the Old City of Jerusalem
Planning ADA implementation in public educational institutions
Urban scale and mass transportation universal design
Designing inclusive experiences, including outdoor play settings
Office and workspace design
Universal design in home building and remodeling
Products and technologies, including autos, web access, media, and digital content
Universal design research initiatives, education, and performance assessments

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