Here’s an excellent podcast on wheelchairs and the advent of enlightenment about disability. Listen!
Disabled by a world full of stairs
Here’s an outstanding podcast that’s well worth taking the full 47 minutes and 30 seconds to listen to. The title of this post says it all.
Made for the Blind, Great for Everyone
Continuing on the theme of my previous post, listen to this piece on National Public Radio about an audio guide to New York’s Guggenheim Museum that was made for the blind but is revelatory for the sighted. I’ve been to the Guggenheim quite a few times and have often thought that the building overwhelms the art inside. This piece gives me a new appreciation of a building I’ve long been awed by.
What is accessibility?
A good place to start this discussion is an introduction to blind architect Chris Downey in these two videos.
Accessibility is, at a very fundamental level, enabling access and enjoyment of life by all, regardless of ability. It is smart design. It isn’t just ramps, elevators, and the odd sign in Braille, though all of these are helpful. It’s open design and clear paths of access or lines of sight. It’s wayfinding that is geared to all. In the home, it’s door pulls and cabinet pulls that are handles, not knobs. And it’s a great deal more.
Since my stroke in November 2018, accessibility in public spaces has become my passion, my calling. Every so often in this blog, when I’m not writing about a journey to some part of the city, I’ll discuss a particular aspect of accessibility. As always, I’ll welcome your comments.