Ramp in Chatanooga, Tennesee by George E. Norkus Photography I was asked by the Editor of Deckworld Magazine to write a feature article on handicap ramp and deck design for the March/April Issue 2009. At first, I had to think about the different types of handicapped people. I became quite enlightened when interviewing Jacqueline Kehl of Barrier Free Design, an interior designer and universal design consultant. (Universal design is a term coined in the 1960's for architectural design catered to the physical limitations of an aging generation.) Jackie is handicapped herself and is a golden resource for all types of architectural designers who use her services. Most interestingly, she told me that the first step in designing a space for handicapped individuals is to understand for whom are we designing the space, what is their disease or disorder, what are their physical limitations, how can an architectural space (either indoors or outdoors) help their condition, and lastly in what ways will their condition transform in the coming years?
I stumbled across this quote by Helen Keller, “To me a lush carpet of pine needles or spongy grass is more welcome than the most luxurious Persian rug.” Her quote is invaluable if it is taken as inspiration for handicap design. She points out the fact that Nature is so entirely therapeutic and healing for humankind, no matter how healthy we are. Furthermore, if we look to Nature's delicate and intricate design, we can understand that creativity, elegance, and thoughtful design is essential for handicap spaces. So, for handicap spaces and that in particular for the ramps, we need to look beyond ADAAG and building codes in search of a way to make these spaces as pleasant as they are inhabitable.
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