INTELLIGENT FUNCTIONALISM
A UNIVERSAL DESIGN TRANSLATION OF HUMAN BRAIN
COMPLEXITY
ALL PEOPLE EXPERIENCE CHANGES IN MOBILITY, AGILITY, AND PERPETUAL ACUITY
THROUGH OUT THEIR LIFESPANS, FROM CHILDHOOD TO ADULTHOOD. AT ANY TIME IN OUR
LIVES, WE MAY EXPERIENCE TEMPORARY OR PERMANENT PHYSICAL OR PSYCHOLOGICAL
IMPAIRMENTS WHICH MAY BE DISABLING AND WHICH MAY INCREASE OUR DEPENDENCE
UPON CERTAIN ASPECTS OF THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENTS. IN ADDITION, PEOPLE ARE
DIVERSE IN SIZE, PREFERENCES, AND ABILITIES. UNIVERSAL DESIGN RESPONDS TO THESE
CONDITIONS AND POTENTIALS AND SEEKS TO EXTENDS THE HUMAN CAPACITY BY
ACCOMMODATION SUPPORTED BY THE DESIGNED ENVIRONMENT.
UNIVERSAL DESIGN INVOLVES BOTH A DESIGN SENSIBILITY THAT SEEK TO UNDERSTAND
AND SUPPORT THE FULL RANGE OF HUMAN CAPACITIES. ERGONOMICS AND HUMAN FACTOR
ANALYSIS ARE PART OF THE INHERITED DISCIPLINE AND ETHIC OF THIS PRINCIPLE.
WITH THESE PHILOSOPHY, HUMAN BRAIN SERVES AS THE MODE OF ARCHITECTURAL
TRANSLATION. ELEMENTS OF INTRICACY CAN OFTEN ASTOUND VISUALLY, BUT THEY ARE
ALWAYS INFINITELY MORE AWEINSPIRING WHEN ONE CONSIDERS THE MILLIONS OF
COMPLEX DETAILS INVOLVED IN THEIR EXISTENCE.
WHAT IS UNIVERSAL DESIGN?
UNIVERSAL DESIGN ASKS THE DESIGNER TO CONSIDER PEOPLE OF ALL AGES AND ABILITIES
IN EVERY ASPECT OF DESIGN. THE RESULT IS HUMANISTIC APPROACH TO ARCHITECTURAL
DESIGN THAT INCLUDES ACCOMMODATION FOR PEOPLE WITH A RANGE OF ABILITIES.
IT IS AN APPROACH THAT CONSIDERS THE ENTIRE RANGE OF CAPACITIES AND POTENTIALS
OF PEOPLE AND HOW THEY USE BUILDINGS AND PRODUCTS THROUGH OUT THEIR LIVES. THE
APPROACH GOES BEYOND TECHNICAL STANDARDS THAT PROVIDE ONLY MINIMAL
ACCESSIBILITY IN COMPLIANCE WITH REGULATIONS AND EXTENDS DESIGN TO INCREASE THE
CAPACITIES AND ABILITIES OF USERS.
ARCHITECTURE SHOULD DO NO HARM
THE ONLY WAY TO HUMANIZE ARCHITECTURE WAS TO USE METHODS WHICH ALWAYS ARE A
COMBINATION OF TECHNICAL, PHYSICAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL PHENOMENA, NEVER ANY OF
THEM ALONE. IN OTHER WORDS, DESIGN IS THE FORETHOUGHT OF PURPOSIVE, INTENTIONAL
ACTION AND THE CONSEQUENCES OF THAT ACTIONARE EVALUATED AGAINST THE PURPOSES
AND INTENTIONS THAT PRECIPITATED THE ACTION IN THE FIRST PLACE.
MOREOVER, TECHNICAL FUNCTIONALISM IS CORRECT ONLYIF ENLARGED TO COVER EVEN
THE PSYCHOPHISICAL FIELD. WITH MODESTY EMBOLDENED BY ETHICAL BELIEF, THE DESIGN
MUST INFLICT NO HARM ON BUILDING USERS, NOR EVEN PROVIDE ENVIRONMENTS
UNSUITABLE FOR THEIR USE.
UNIVERSAL DESIGN GUIDELINES
SIMPLE AND INTUITIVE USE
USE OF THE DESIGN IS EASY TO UNDERSTAND, REGARDLESS OF THE USERS EXPERIENCE, KNOWLEDGE,
LANGUAGE SKILLS, OR CURRENT SITUATION LEVEL\
EQUITABLE USE
THE DESIGN DOES NOT DISADVANTAGE OR STIGMATIZE ANY GROUP OF USERS.
PERCEPTIBLE INFORMATION
THE DESIGN COMMUNICATES NECESSARY INFORMATIONS EFFECTIVELY TO THE USER, REGARDLESS OF
AMBIENT CONDITIONS OF THE USERS SENSORY ABILITIES
TOLERANCE FOR ERROR
THE DESIGN MINIMIZES HAZARDS AND THE ADVERSE CONSEQUENCES OF ACCIDENTAL OR UNINTENDED
FATIGUE.
FLEXIBILITY
THE DESIGN ACCOMMODATES A WIDE RANGE OF INDIVIDUAL PREFERENCES AND ABILITIES.
LOW PHYSICAL EFFORT
THE DESIGN CAN BE USED EFFICIENTLY AND COMFORTABLY WITH A MINIMUM OF FATIGUE.
APPROPRIATENESS
APPROPRIATE SIZE AND SPACE IS PROVIDED FOR APPROACH, REACH, MANIPULATION AND USE,
REGARDLESS OF THE USERS SIZE, POSTURE, OR MOBILITY.
PLANNING AND DESIGN PRINCIPLES
THE AGED ACCOMMODATIONS ARE SMALL IN SIZE AND COMPACT FOR ECONOMY AND
CONVENIENCE
SHOULD BE FIREPROOF CONSTRUCTION FOR SAFETY
MINIMIZE THE PROBLEMS AND EFFORTS OF HOUSEKEEPING AND DAILY ACTIVITES
SHOULD BE PLEASANT, LIVABLE WITH SPACIOUS EFFECT
SHOULD HAVE A HIGH DEGREE OF PRIVACY
NOT TO HAVE AN INSTITUTIONAL LOOK OR APPEARANCE
DESIGN OBJECTIVES
ORIENTATION AND WAYFINDING IN THE ENVIRONMENT
PREDICTABILITY OF A SPACE TO REDUCE CONFUSION AND CONFLICTS OVER
APPROPRIATE USES
SOCIALIZING, MASTERING, AND CLAIMING OF A SPACE
SENSORY STIMULATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL COMPREHENSION
SAFETY AND SECURITY
COMFORT, EASE OF ACCESS AND ENVIRONMENTAL NEGOTIABILITY
