Ana Tomé

Investigating Accessibility to Achieve Inclusive Environments: The Spatial Experience of Disability at a University Precinct in Lisbon

According to the universal design paradigm, accessibility in the built environment indicates the degree to which any space to be used by people is reachable by someone with a permanent or temporary impairment (Levine 2003). A disadvantage (handicap) is not just a characteristic of people with disabilities. It can occur with anyone whenever the demands of the environment exceed their capabilities.

Computer game engines for accessibility assessment: The IST Alameda campus case-study

This poster aims to contribute to Serious Games implementation, focusing on the design of a tool to evaluate built environment accessibility, developed within the framework of the IN_LEARNING research project. The proposed tool was tested in a university precinct in Lisbon - IST Alameda campus - where the principle of diversity is demanded by a variety of users with different accessibility requirements (e.g. temporary and/or permanent disability, visual impairment, advancing years, pregnancy). It offers guidance for future interventions intended to upgrade the inclusivity of the built environment and to help improve the aesthetic and functional quality of buildings and outdoor spaces.