The inaugural Singapore Universal Design Week runs from 5 to 9 November. Organised by the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) with a theme of “An Inclusive Built Environment through Universal Design”, the five-day event features a conference, exhibitions, workshop and other activities held at the Marina Bay area.
BCA hopes to promote the importance of Universal Design through a series of activities targeted at building professionals, planners, policymakers and members of the public.
A highlight includes the YooDee Town Exhibition happening at Suntec City Mall, which allows visitors to experience how homes, parks, toilets, and lifts, among others, can be friendly for people of all ages and abilities.
Another event, A Walk in the Park, will see participants walk alongside persons with disabilities, such as a wheelchair user, people using crutches and walking sticks and the visually impaired, and experience the challenges they face. Along the route, various Universal Design features will be highlighted for participants to understand why certain provisions are necessary.
Universal Design refers to ideas and designs that promote accessibility for a wide range of people including the elderly and people with disabilities.
In his speech at the official opening of Singapore Universal Design Week on 5 November, Senior Minister of State Lee Yi Shyan shared that Singapore embarked on building barrier-free facilities as early as in the 1980s. Barrier-free features for wheelchair users were introduced in HDB new towns and public buildings, such as the then new Changi International Airport and some community centres.
“Today, a large majority of our buildings frequented by the public already incorporate some form of Universal Design features. Beyond our initial focus on basic wheelchair accessibility, BCA now regulates and promotes broader aspects of physical accessibility through Universal Design. This includes Braille and tactile signs for the blind, hearing enhancement systems for the deaf, and child-friendly sanitary facilities for families with children,” he said.
Muneerah Bee, Senior Journalist at PropertyGuru, wrote this story. To contact her about this or other stories emailmuneerah@propertyguru.com.sg
