Home » Outdoor & Recreation » Travel & Disability » Responsible Destination Development: Multi: Design for People and Estate Concordia

Responsible Destination Development: Multi: Design for People and Estate Concordia

© Scott Paul Rains

As I've made the rounds of travel shows and tourism expos, I have had the opportunity to meet several hospitable and charming representatives of Caribbean travel destinations.

If I weren't already sold on the romantic appeal of the Virgin Islands for a Caribbean holiday I might be swayed by Virgin Islands expert Harry S. Pariser, travel writer, photographer, and author of Explore The Virgin Islands . Then again, Norm Goldman, Editor of www.Sketchandtravel.com also makes the destination appealing in an interview with Harry at his site offering a unique combination--sketching and travel writing.

But it was the two founders of a design studio who really put the Virgin Islands on my travel map. Kat Darula and Roseanne Ramos created Multi: Design for People to move design thinking in new directions. They have been successful doing that both as principals of Multi: Design for People and as faculty at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). Surprisingly, their success lies in going back to the basics by eliminating the preconceptions that constrain projects and asking the question, "Who are we designing for?"

With the launch of a sustainable, inclusive eco-lodge project called Estate Concordia they have given public shape to their vision of "good design." Drawing from the tradition known in some places as inclusive design, design-for-all, human-centered design, or universal design, Darula and Ramos--who prefer to speak simply of "good design" to emphasize the broad applicability and common sense of their approach--have begun to revolutionize the design of recreational and vacation space.

In November 2004 I had the opportunity to meet their graduate students in Industrial Design at RISD. The class had recently returned from an "Opportunity Audit" at the Estate Concordia project site where they had the chance to also meet with the owner of the development, Stanley Selengut. At RISD the students presented their findings in preparation for the design solution stage. It was an intellectually invigorating day of analysis and imagination as the students examined existing structures, building materials, site characteristics, and the philosophy of the resort.

Soon in this column you will read more about a proposed new television channel -- People with Disabilities Broadcast Corporation. One of the shows being developed is a travel show. One of the vacation destinations being discussed for an episode is Estate Concordia.

St. John is a hilly paradise. It is not the sort of place where the timid take on building a wheelchair accessible demonstration project. Darula and Ramos are as bold in their implementation as they are in their vision.

The copyright of the article Responsible Destination Development: Multi: Design for People and Estate Concordia in Travel & Disability is owned by Scott Paul Rains. Permission to republish Responsible Destination Development: Multi: Design for People and Estate Concordia in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.