BARRIER FREE ENVIRONMENT

BARRIER FREE ENVIRONMENT IS ONE WHICH ENABLES PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES TO MOVE
B ABOUT SAFELY AND FREELY AND TO USE THE FACILITIES WITHIN THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT.
A THE GOAL OF BARRIER FREE DESIGN IS TO PROVIDE AN ENVIRONMENT THAT SUPPORTS THE
R INDEPENDENT FUNCTIONING OF INDIVIDUALS SO THAT THEY CAN GET TO, AND PARTICIPATE
R WITHOUT ASSISTANCE, IN EVERY DAY ACTIVITIES SUCH AS PROCUREMENT OF GOODS AND
I SERVICES, COMMUNITY LIVING, EMPLOYMENT, AND LEISURE.
E
R THE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES WHICH HAVE BEEN FOLLOWED IN DEVELOPING STANDARDS /
NORMS FOR VARIOUS FACILITIES TO MEET DISABLED PEOPLE’S STANDARDS FOR SAFETY,
F
R
CONVENIENCE AND USABILITY. BARRIER FREE DESIGN STANDARDS SHOULD SATISFY ANYONE
E WHO IS HAMPERED IN HIS MOBILITY OR FUNCTIONING (AS COMPARED WITH A NONDISABLED
E PERSON) AS A RESULT OF OBSTACLES PUT IN HIS WAY BY THE DESIGN OF A BUILDING, THE
CHOICE OF HARDWARE AND EQUIPMENT, AND THE ARRANGEMENT OF OUTSIDE SPACE.
A
R THE TERM BARRIER-FREE DESIGN WAS FIRST USED IN THE 1950'S TO DESCRIBE THE EFFORT
C OF REMOVING PHYSICAL BARRIERS FROM THE "BUILT ENVIRONMENT" FOR PEOPLE WITH
H DISABILITIES. BARRIER-FREE DESIGN ADDRESSES THE ISSUE OF ACCESS.
I
T
E
A SPACE OR A SET OF SERVICES THAT CAN BE ACCESSED BY ALL, WITHOUT OBSTACLES, WITH
C DIGNITY AND WITH AS MUCH INDEPENDENCE AS POSSIBLE. THE ENVIRONMENT MEANS
T BUILDINGS, ROADS, PARKS, GARDENS AND OTHER PLACES, SERVICES, MODES OF
U TRANSPORTATION, PRODUCTS OF DAILY USE, ETC. THERE IS A POPULAR BELIEF THAT A RAMP
R AND AN ELEVATOR/ LIFT IS ALL THAT IS NEEDED TO MAKE A BUILT SPACE BARRIER-FREE.
E
 TYPES OF DISBILITIES

VARIOUS, DISABILITIES WHICH HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED WHILE PREPARING THE GUIDELINES
FOR BARRIER FREE BUILT ENVIRONMENT ARE BROADLY CLASSIFIED UNDER FOUR
B CATEGORIES
A
R
R
I
E
R

F
R
E
E

A
R
C
H
I
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E
C
T
U
R
E
 NON-AMBULATORY DISABILTIES

IMPAIRMENTS THAT, REGARDLESS OF CAUSE OR

MANIFESTATION, FOR ALL PRACTICAL PURPOSES, CONFINE
B INDIVIDUALS TO WHEEL & CHAIRS.A WHEELCHAIR MAY BE
A
OPERATED BY THE USER ALONE OR WITH A HELPER’S
R
R ASSISTANCE. HOWEVER, WHEELCHAIR DESIGN MUST
I ASSUME THAT THE USER SHOULD BE ABLE TO
E OPERATE THE WHEELCHAIR WITHOUT HELP.
R

F REQUIREMENTS
R
E
E ▪ ENTRANCE DOOR MUST HAVE WIDTH NOT LESS THAN 0.75MM.
▪ CORRIDORS ETC. MUST BE AT LEAST 900MM WIDE.
A ▪ OPERATIONAL DEVICES ON DOORS SUCH AS HANDLES, PULLS,
R ETC. SHOULD BE EASY TO GRASP WITH A SINGLE HAND.
C
▪ INTERNAL PLANNING OF HOUSE SHOULD ACCOMMODATE
H
I
WHEEL
T CHAIR BOUND PEOPLE.
E ▪ WHEN THE GRADIENT OF THE RAMP EXCEEDS 1:12 PLATFORM
C HAVING A WIDTH AND DEPTH OF NOT LESS THAN 1:200 MUST BE
T PROVIDED AT THE HEAD OF THE RAMP.
U ▪ AT THE FOOT OF ANY RAMP WHOSE GRADIENT EXCEEDS 1:12
R THE SURFACE SHOULD BE LEVELED FOR A DISTANCE OF NOT
E LESS THAN 1.8 M.
B
A
R
R
I
E ACCESSIBLE HANDLES WITH EASY GRASPING
R
ENTRANCE LANDING WITH ADJACENT RAMP
F
R
E
E

A
R
C
H
I
T
E
C
T
U
R SURFACE PARKING NEAR ENTRANCE FOR THE
E PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED PERSONS WITH DOORWAYS WITH DOOR WIDTH MINIMUM OF
WIDTH OF PARKING MINIMUM OF 3.6M. 900MM.
 TOILET REQUIREMENTS

B
A
R
R
I
E
R

F
R
E
E

A
R
C ▪ ONE SPECIAL W.C. SHOULD BE
H PROVIDED WITH THE ESSENTIAL
I PROVISIONS SUCH AS WASH BASINS
T FOR THE USE OF THE PHYSICAL
E CHALLENGED.
C
▪ THE MINIMUM SIZE SHALL BE
T
U 1500MM X 1750MM .
R ▪ GUIDING BLOCKS NEAR THE
E ENTRANCE SHOULD BE TEXTURAL.
 INCLINED MOVEMENT PLATFORM LIFT

▪ IT CONSISTS OF THREE ELEMENTS : A RAILING,

B AN ELECTRIC GENERATOR AND A MOVING
A PLATFORM OR A SEAT.
R ▪ THJE OPERATING SYSTEM OF THE LIFT CAN BE
R LATERAL OR SUSPENDED AS PER THE
I AVAILABLE SPACE AND SHAPE OF STAIRCASE.
E
▪ THIS TYPE OF LIFT CAN BE INSTALLED ALONG
R
THE STAIR WALL LEAVING 900MM CLEAR
F WIDTH OF THE STAIRCASE.
R
E
E

A
R
C
H
I
T
E
C
T
U
R
E
 SEMI-AMBULATORY DISABILTIES
PERSONS IN THIS CATEGORY WHO USE WALKING AIDS SUCH AS CRUTCHES OR CANES,
WHO ARE AMPUTEES, WHO HAVE CHEST AILMENTS OR HEART DISEASE. THE PERSONS IN
B THIS CATEGORY INCLUDE THOSE WHO CAN NOT WALK WITHOUT A CANE AND THOSE WHO
A HAVE SOME TROUBLE IN THEIR UPPER OR LOWER LIMBS ALTHOUGH THEY CAN WALK
R UNASSISTED.
R
I
E
R

F
R
E
E

A
R
C
H
I
T
▪ WIDTH OF PASSAGE FOR CRUTCH USERS (MIN. 900 MM).
E
C
▪ FINISHES OF FLOOR SURFACE WITH NON SLIP FLOOR
T MATERIAL.INSTALLATION OF HANDRAIL TO SUPPORT THE BODY
U WEIGHT AT THE CRITICAL PLACES E.G. STAIRCASE, TOILET, RAMP,
R PASSAGE WITH A CHANGE OF LEVEL (800-850 MM).
E ▪ TO PREVENT SLIPPING OFF THE CANE OR CRUTCH FROM THE
SIDE OF THE STAIRS OR RAMPS (20 MM HIGH LIP ON THE
EXPOSED EDGE).
 SIGHT DISABILTIES

DESIGN REQUIREMENTS
▪ PERSONS IN THIS CATEGORY ARE
B TOTALLY BLIND OR WITH IMPAIRED
A ▪ USE OF GUIDING BLOCKS FOR
VISION.
R PERSONS WITH IMPAIRED VISION
R ▪ VISUALLY IMPAIRED PERSONS
MAKE USE OF OTHER SENSES TO GUIDE THEM WITHIN THE
I
SUCH AS HEARING OR TOUCH TO BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES AND
E
R COMPENSATE FOR THE LACK OF OUT SIDE THE BUILDING.
VISION.
F ▪ IT IS NECESSARY TO GIVE ▪ INSTALLATION OF INFORMATION
R INSTRUCTIONS ACCESSIBLE BOARD IN BRAILLE.
E THROUGH THE SENSE OF TOUCH
E ▪ INSTALLATION OF AUDIBLE
(HANDS, FINGERS OR LEGS).
WHILE WALKING WITH A WHITE SIGNAGES (ANNOUNCEMENT).
A
R CANE TO SPOT THEIR FEET NEAR
THE TIP OF THE CANE THE ▪ REMOVAL OF ANY PROTRUDING
C
H PERSONS MAY BUMP HIS OR HER OBJECTS AND SUFFICIENT
I HEAD OR SHOULDER AGAINST WALKING SPACE FOR SAFE
T PROTRUDING OBJECTS. WALKING.
E ▪ PERSONS WITH LIMITED VISION
C MAY BE ABLE TO DISCRIMINATE ▪ FOR PERSONS WITH LIMITED
T VISION USE OF CONTRASTING
BETWEEN DARK AND BRIGHT
U COLOR ARRANGEMENTS
R SHADES AND DIFFERENCE IN
E PRIMARY COLORS.
 WHITE CANE RANGE :

▪ ANY OBSTACLE ABOVE 750 MM CANNOT BE

B DETECTED BY THE WHITE CANE.
A ▪ IF THERE ARE PROJECTIONS ABOVE THIS
R HEIGHT THEN THE PROJECTIONS HAVE TO BE
R REFLECTED AT THE FLOOR LEVEL IN TERMS
I OF LEVEL OR TEXTURAL DIFFERENCES.
E
▪ THE RADIAL RANGE OF THE WHITE CANE IS A
R
BAND 900 MM WIDE
F
R
E
E

A
R
C
H
I
T
E
C
T
U
R
E
ACCESS FOR BLIND PEOPLE TACTICAL PAVING
B
A
R
R
I
E
R

F
R
E
E PARK WITH FACILITIES WALKWAY

A
R
C
H
I
T
E
C
T
U
R
E

PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE AND RAMP

 CASE STUDY

HONG KONG CENTRAL LIBRARY IS THE LARGEST

LIBRARY IN HONG KONG, FLAGSHIP LIBRARY OF HONG
B
KONG PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND USED AS HONG KONG
A
PUBLIC LIBRARY HEADQUARTERS, FUNCTIONING AS
R
THE TERRITORY'S NATIONAL LIBRARY.
R
I
E
ACCESS TO FACILITY
R

F
R ▪ THE WALKWAY IS MADE UP OF
E
SERIES OF SLOPING GROUNDS
E
WITHOUT STEPS TO ENHANCE
A BARRIER FREE ACCESS. A LINK
R BRIDGE LEADING FROM VICTORIA
C PARK TO THE LIBRARY MAIN
H ENTRANCE AT FIRST FLOOR DECK
I LEVEL IS ALSO PROVIDED.
T ▪ THE MAIN ENTRANCE IS
E CONVENIENTLY LOCATED AT THE
C
CENTRE OF THE CAUSEWAY ROAD
T
U FACADE, AND IS PROMINENTLY
R MARKED BY THE BUILDING NAME
E SIGN WITH THE LANDSCAPING AREA
AND GRAND STAIRCASE.
 SLOPING GROUNDS
ARE USED AS FAR
AS PRACTICABLE AS
PASSAGEWAY TO
FACILITATE ACCESS
FOR ALL PERSONS.
B GENTLE GRADIENTS
A
ARE USED TO
R
R ENHANCE WALKING
I OR WHEELCHAIR
E COMFORT.
R

F
R DIRECTION
E INDICATION SIGNS
E DESIGNATING
LIFT SERVICE IS ALSO VARIOUS
A FUNCTIONAL
AVAILABLE FOR ACCESS TO
R SPACES AND
C DISABALE PERSONS.
FACILITIES ARE
H
CEILING HUNG AT
I
T EVERY FLOOR.
E
C
T
U COUNTERS ARE WITH
R
PROTRUDING COUNTER TOPS,
E
SOME WITH NOTCHES FOR
HOLDING CRUTCHES, WALKING
STICKS AND ALIKE.
 TACTILE IS USED TO ALERT PEOPLE TO DIFFERENT TYPES OF FACILITIES, TO HAZARDS
AND CHANGES IN LEVEL AT TOP AND BOTTOM OF RAMPS, ESCALATORS AND STAIRCASES,
AND AS DIRECTIONAL PATHS LEADING TO MAJOR FUNCTIONAL AREAS.

B
A
R
R
I
E
R

F
R
E
E

A
R
C
H
I
T DISABLED CARPARKS ARE DESIGNATED
E CLOSE TO THE ENTRANCE TO EXHIBITION
C
HALL AT GROUND FLOOR AND LIFT TOWER
T
U LEADING TO FIRST FLOOR MAIN LIBRARY
R ENTRANCE.
E