All disabled people have the right to access the physical environment, transportation, information, and communications on an equal basis with others. This page centers disabled people's expertise to help architects and designers create genuinely inclusive spaces that go beyond minimum code compliance.
The built environment shapes who can participate in society. Stairs exclude wheelchair users. Poor lighting excludes people with low vision. Overwhelming sensory environments exclude many autistic people. Bad acoustics exclude deaf and hard of hearing people.
These barriers aren't natural—they're designed in. And what's designed in can be designed out.
Code compliance is the floor, not the ceiling. ADA minimums were negotiated compromises from the 1990s. Universal design aims higher: environments that work for everyone without requiring adaptation or specialized design.
The US Access Board establishes minimums. ADA compliance is the "absolute bare minimum"—a starting point, not a destination.
Common compliance-only failures:
Ron Mace's original Universal Design principles:
The IDEA Center's eight updated goals:
Universal design isn't about making separate "accessible" features—it's about designing so everyone can use the same elements. A curb cut isn't an accommodation for wheelchair users; it's good design that helps everyone including people pushing strollers, pulling luggage, or walking with canes.
Research and design done with disabled people, not for them. Users become co-designers, and lived experience constitutes expertise.
Design based on assumptions about what disabled people need often fails. Design based on genuine collaboration produces spaces that actually work.
Include disabled people on design teams—not as consultants brought in at the end, but as integral team members from project start.
User testing with diverse disabled people at multiple stages, not just final review.
Compensate participants for their expertise. This is professional work.
Provide accommodations so disabled people can actually participate—accessible meeting spaces, interpreters, materials in alternative formats, flexible schedules.
Gallaudet University's DeafSpace exemplifies this approach—design principles developed through close observation of how deaf people actually use space, formalizing the assets of a population rather than starting from deficits.
Institute for Human Centered Design maintains a database of "user/experts" covering physical, sensory, cognitive, and neurological disabilities across age ranges.
For many autistic people and others with sensory processing differences, standard built environments are overwhelming. Fluorescent lighting causes headaches and difficulty concentrating. HVAC noise makes conversation impossible. Bright colors and busy patterns create visual chaos.
Sensory-friendly design creates spaces that work for neurological diversity—not by being bland, but by being intentional about sensory input.
Avoid fluorescent lighting. Flickering (even imperceptible flicker) and harsh color temperature affect many people.
Use flexible LED lighting with adjustable color temperature and intensity.
Manage natural light to reduce glare and harsh shadows. Provide blinds or shading.
Avoid strong light-dark contrasts that can be disorienting.
Design lighting for user control where possible—not just one switch for an entire space.
Acoustics are often the most important factor for autism-friendly environments. Good acoustic design starts with building layout:
Consider adjacencies. Don't put quiet spaces next to mechanical rooms or high-activity areas.
Graduate transitions between quiet and loud spaces rather than jarring changes.
Use sound-dampening materials on walls, floors, and ceilings.
Address HVAC noise at the design stage, not as an afterthought.
Reduce reverberation in large spaces. Hard surfaces bouncing sound create overwhelming environments.
Muted, neutral, pastel tones work best for many—blues, greens, light purples.
Avoid bright saturated colors including stark white, which can be harsh.
Minimize strong patterns on walls and floors. Busy visual environments create cognitive load.
Consider contrast for wayfinding while avoiding overwhelming visual complexity.
Include nooks, niches, and private seating for territorial control.
Create escape spaces/withdrawal rooms where people can go when overstimulated.
Design sensory transition zones between environments with different sensory characteristics.
Use clear, predictable layouts that reduce cognitive load and support navigation.
BSI PAS 6463 (2022) provides the first standard specifically for neurodiversity and the built environment, covering lighting, acoustics, décor, and layouts. It's an excellent resource for designers new to this area.
Effective wayfinding works across sensory modalities:
Visual: High-contrast colors, large sans-serif fonts, pictograms, consistent design language.
Tactile: Raised text and braille, textured pathways, tactile maps.
Auditory: Announcements, audio beacons, sound cues at decision points.
Redundancy: Provide the same information through multiple senses so people can use what works for them.
See Housing Section for detailed guidance, including:
At least two accessible means of egress are required from any accessible portion of a space. "Accessible means of egress" must be usable by people with mobility disabilities, not just ambulatory individuals.
When exit stairs are the only means of egress, areas of refuge provide protected waiting areas. Requirements include:
Stair evacuation devices help evacuate wheelchair users down stairs. Important considerations:
Emergency notification must be accessible:
For buildings with employees or regular occupants with disabilities, individual evacuation plans identify:
Accessibility doesn't have to be expensive. Many features cost little or nothing when designed in from the start:
The expense comes from retrofitting—which is why designing accessibly from the start makes economic sense.
Consumer smart home products can provide accessibility features affordably:
UN CRPD Article 9 establishes accessibility as a human right, requiring states to ensure access to the physical environment, transportation, information, and communications.
ISO 21542 provides international accessibility standards for the built environment.
ADA Standards for Accessible Design establish legal minimums for places of public accommodation and commercial facilities.
US Access Board develops accessibility guidelines and provides technical assistance.
Fair Housing Act accessibility requirements for multifamily housing.
CSA B651 establishes accessibility standards. Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and similar provincial legislation create additional requirements.
Building Regulations Part M (England and Wales) establishes accessibility requirements. BS 8300 provides design guidance. Equality Act 2010 requires reasonable adjustments.
Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and Disability (Access to Premises – Buildings) Standards 2010 establish requirements. AS 1428 series provides detailed standards.
Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification (Canada) rates built environment accessibility.
isUD (Inclusive and Sustainable Design) certification program modeled after LEED.
When clients push back on accessibility:
Frame as investment, not cost. Accessible buildings serve more people, age better, and avoid retrofit costs.
Highlight legal requirements. Explain that ADA applies to places of public accommodation and that accessibility lawsuits are common.
Emphasize demographic trends. The population is aging; accessible design today serves tomorrow's users.
Show examples. Well-designed accessibility doesn't look institutional. Share images of beautiful accessible spaces.
Quantify the market. People with disabilities and their families represent significant purchasing power.
Sometimes clients want to exceed minimums. Support this by:
Document accessibility features for:
| Instead of... | Try... |
|---|---|
| Adding accessibility at the end | Designing accessibly from the start |
| Meeting minimums only | Aiming for Universal Design |
| Designing for wheelchair users only | Considering all disability types |
| Making accessible features institutional | Integrating accessibility into aesthetic design |
| Designing based on assumptions | Co-designing with disabled people |
| One accessibility feature | Redundancy across sensory modalities |
| Treating accessibility as special | Treating accessibility as good design |
| Hiding accessible features | Making accessible routes primary routes |
Compliance is the floor, not the ceiling. Design beyond code minimums.
Design with, not for. Include disabled people as co-designers throughout the process.
Consider all disabilities. Mobility, sensory, cognitive, and neurological—not just wheelchair users.
Integrate, don't segregate. Accessible features should be part of the main design, not separate add-ons.
Redundancy is essential. Provide information and access through multiple modalities.
Design affects dignity. Accessible features shouldn't look clinical or stigmatizing.
Design for change. Adaptable design allows modification as needs evolve.
Universal Design benefits everyone. Curb cuts help parents with strollers; good acoustics help everyone concentrate.
This page centers disabled people's expertise and is informed by disabled-led organizing globally. For questions or to suggest additions, see How to Contribute.