Universal design means products and buildings that are accessible and usable by everyone--older people as well as young, women as well as men, left handed persons as well as right handed persons. Accessible design has a tendency to lead to separate facilities-for example, a ramp set off to the side of a stairway at an entrance or a wheelchair accessible toilet stall. Universal design, on the other hand, provides one solution that can accommodate all people. It simply acknowledges disability, aging, and other differences as a part of every day life.An important implication of universal design is that it has mass appeal. In fact most successful universal designs often express the usability features of the product or environment as strong aesthetics qualities and are successful precisely because they are beautiful as well as useful.
Some object to ramps because they "break the lines" of a building.
Some object to ramps as concretized expression of a broken line of reasoning--a sloping "Separate but Not Equal" banner marring more than the facade.
Regardless of the objection, seniors, families with children--and yes, people with disabilities--are traveling for leisure in ever greater numbers.
As they are becoming architecturally literate they are opting for Universal Design solutions.
Further Reading:
The Concept of Universal Design
http://www.ap.buffalo.edu/idea/Publications/The%20concept%20of%20Universal%20Design.htm
Santa Cruz California Universal Design Conference
http://www.universaldesignconference.com
Activists call 'New Urbanism' to account over lack of visitability
http://www.raggededgemagazine.com/focus/esmithnewurbanism0705.html
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