ARCHITECTURE

Designing for an Increasingly Diverse Workforce.

People with disabilities deserve a space at the design table. Here’s why.

People with disabilities aren’t limited until a barrier is put in their way. The daily workplace experiences most of us are familiar with – entering an office building, sitting at a desk, attending meetings, or grabbing a cup of coffee – can be complex for those with disabilities if a space isn’t designed to accommodate their needs.

Neurodiversity refers to the natural range of variation in human neurocognition. It’s an umbrella term for people who aren’t neurotypical, and includes such conditions as autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, and Tourette syndrome, among others. Approximately 15 to 20 percent of people are “neurodivergent.”

In addition to accommodating the neurodiverse, design must be fully inclusive of those with traditional disabilities, as well. According to The Brookings Institution, the number of people who cite a disability as their reason for not working has fallen, reversing a decades-long trend and indicating that today’s workplaces need to be increasingly accommodating for people with a variety of needs.

Consider, for example, how a person with a disability would access your building for the first time. In many cases, the entrance for people with disabilities may be on the side or back of a building, which gives a person with a disability a much different experience entering the building than those without a disability.

Oversights like this often come from a lack of engagement in the design process. Other times, it’s because we choose to solve problems for one

user at the expense of another. Regardless of the reason, one thing is clear: Truly inclusive design requires thoughtfulness and attention to each aspect of the experience for every user.

Another potential downfall comes in the prioritization of one sensory experience over another. As designers, we tend to be overly focused on creating visual experiences, but to create more inclusive spaces, we must make multi-sensory design imperative. If we design for every sense – leveraging light, color, texture, smells, and sounds – we can create richer experiences for every user and ensure that those who are neurodivergent or live with other disabilities can engage with a space in a similar manner as the rest of the workforce.

In our work on UPMC’s Vision and Rehab Institute, HOK engaged Chris Downey, AIA, as a consultant. Downey lost his sight after an operation to remove a benign tumor in his brain, yet he has continued practicing architecture by relying on his other senses. His insight into how blind people experience a space has influenced the design of numerous buildings, making these spaces more accessible and useful for all. Downey offers a reminder that to design for all users, we must invite all users into the design process. If we design for every sense – leveraging light, color, texture, smells, and sounds – we can create richer experiences for every user and ensure that those who are neurodivergent or live with other disabilities can engage with a space in a similar manner as the rest of the workforce.

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So next time you’re planning a significant building project for your organization, look around the table at the decision makers. Do they represent the diversity of your customers and your staff? Do they bring perspectives that represent the neurodiverse and those with other disabilities Do they offer perspectives that vary from your own?

Inclusive design preserves the richness of the experience no matter who the end-user is. By inviting those with disabilities and the neurodiverse into the design process, we can better understand how to create immersive, sensory experiences for all.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Peter Sloan, AIA, RCID, is the director of interior design for HOK’s Kansas City studio. He specializes in workplace strategy and design, embracing an “inside-out” humanistic design philosophy.

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THE ONLY HOME THAT MATTERS IS YOURS. JODIE BRETHOUR

Buyer’s Agent, Listing Agent, Experienced Professional, Fearless Negotiator, ReeceNichol’s President’s Circle Award Winner.

Jodie Brethour

Buyer’s Agent, Listing Agent, Experienced Professional, Fearless Negotiator, ReeceNichols President’s Circle Award Winner

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