Public Buildings (such as schools, malls and hospitals) are increasingly equipped with features that facilities that movement of handicapped people (including people who use wheelchairs or have impaired vision or hearing) or who have difficulty walking, such as the elderly. Here are five aspect that should be factored into the design of public buildings to make them ‘handicapable’: 1 Parking. At least three large parking spaces should be in place near the building’s entrance with a wheelchairs sign indicating they can only be used by people who have a disability. 2 Entrances. Non-skid ramps with handrails should be in place near building entrance; automobiles sliding doors are ideal for disabled people as they do not require handles. All entrances should be at least eight feet wide to accommodate wheelchairs with easy to grip, elongated handles.
3 Elevators. These should be at least five feet wide and seven get high and equipped with a voice alert system to announce floor numbers and signal when doors are about to open or close. The control panel must be placed three feet from the ground with large, engraved buttons, that people with impaired vision can feel or read easily. 4 Walkway and corridors. These should be clear of obstructions such as display units and plants; split-level area must have ramp access and safety railing should be installed on both sides. 5 Restrooms. At least one cubicle in a restroom should be large enough to accommodate a wheelchairs and measures at least 70 square feet. All fittings (including door handles, basins, soap dispenser, etc.) should be placed three feet above ground; grab bars/hand rails should be installed and floor should be paved with slip-resistant material.
The cost of construction of such buildings is usually 20 to 25 % higher than regular ones. Rental yields of retail spaces in public buildings such as malls is 15 to 20% higher than those without these features, while the property value is 10- 20% higher than those without these features, while the property value is 10 to 12% higher.
By Saira Shabbir. The writer is co-founder and principal architect at Asthetix