Every day I go to work in the House of Disability Organizations - the most accessible office building in the world. In other words, the project should serve as a model example with accessibility fully integrated into the same solutions in the building, as well as in interior fittings, furniture and communications – the basic idea being that good accessibility is necessary for some and good for all. Accessibility is a human right, as the convention emphasizes, and the house shows how to create accessibility and thereby achieve equality in the broadest possible sense.
People with disabilities want to be part of society: they want to be equal neighbors on the street at home and equal colleagues at work. In that sense, universal design is closely related to the human rights aspects of the UN Convention on Disabilities. Universal design does not cost more Handicap organizations Denmark decided on a total contract competition, where the price would count for 25 percent, while the qualitative criteria would make up 75 percent in the assessment of the proposals.
For this reason, tenderers had to submit the offered prize in a closed envelope, which was only opened after the qualitative aspects had been assessed. Normally the turnkey contractor assembles its own team of consultants, but the client mixed the cards differently in the hope that new collaborations would result in new creative ideas and perceptions, as those involved were unable to use their regular workflows. It was no secret to the participants that in the end only three teams would participate in the planned turnkey competition and calculate the design and cost of the building.
12Realisation
In two parallel tracks, the process identified user requirements regarding the layout of workplaces and the work culture of individual organizations, while providing an overview of general accessibility in the building. The House of Disability Organizations is located approximately 350 meters from public transport at Høje Taastrup station with easy access to the motorway. In order to integrate the building into the surrounding urban space and prevent it from becoming an isolated island of universal solutions, it was purposely connected to the infrastructure that connects it to the rest of society.
A footpath, which is separated from traffic and provided with a guide line, thus leads pedestrians safely from the station to the main entrance, without them having to cross the traffic area. The location of the house on the plot divides the area into two different outdoor spaces, each with its own function and atmosphere. To the east are the arrival and parking areas as well as the main entrance, while a sensory garden with recreational areas and varied vegetation, such as fruit trees and flower beds with herbs, occupies the landscape to the west of the building.
A gravel path with a natural orientation that follows the shape of the house winds through the garden and connects to a car-free pedestrian zone along the southern and eastern facades of the building. These are located closest to the main entrance, connected to it by pedestrian crossings and edged with white lines that contrast with the black asphalt and allow good visibility for visually impaired people. The concrete guide is designed as a low plinth that separates the footpath from the parking lot along the eastern facade of the building.
More than creating a boundary, this plinth also contains benches, dustbins and signage, which prevents users of the house from bumping into them. Pedestrian paths lead along the parking area to the entrance, where a raised pattern on the pavement beckons. The general idea of the building is that all universal solutions are united from the beginning of the design process both in the main features of the building and in its functions and details.
The atrium connects all floors and acts as the central nervous system of the building: here people meet and communicate, and from here everyone navigates the four office floors, which face north, northwest, southwest and southeast respectively . These are selected based on the degree of contrast to the environment and to each other.
16Design
The house is shaped like a starfish with four arms and there is a good reason for that. Initially, the architects drew a circular floor plan, but a round building is in principle borderless and therefore very difficult to navigate for the blind and partially sighted. The central, glass-covered atrium thus became pentagonal, creating clear landmarks at every bend.
Colours, light and sound create a workplace where all employees can work under equal conditions. Colors are an important navigation tool and each office wing therefore has its own characteristic shade: red, blue, green and purple respectively. Both when the sun shines and when it is cloudy, the glass-covered atrium has sufficient daylight, although artificial light is rarely needed.
The public first floor contains a reception, lounge, meeting center and canteen, while the basement houses a fitness room. The top three floors are non-public and provide a framework for small and larger offices, as well as open office areas, with internal meeting rooms and service facilities such as kitchens, cloakrooms, copy rooms, flex rooms and toilets. All offices face the facade, while service facilities are located in the center of each office wing.
18 of DPOD member organizations and 13 other organizations related to the field of disability.
18Design
Special attention has also been paid to the acoustics of the large atrium, as many people pass the area every day. It takes a special effort to create a comfortable sound environment for everyone, not least for the visually impaired, as they also navigate by sound. Therefore, the atrium balcony railings have more than one function: they both provide security and help regulate the acoustics in the room thanks to their circular, perforated fronts, which are coated with sound-absorbing material behind the surface.
Finally, the perforated design provides a good view of the whole room, which means that wheelchair users can navigate the atrium without problems. The office windows are higher than the suspended barn ceilings, and the walls below the windows are lower than usual. This ensures that sufficient daylight reaches far into the offices – in addition to providing an optimal view from the outside.
The external shading consists of two systems: one consists of fixed vertical metal slats that run along the facade just above the ground floor. The slats have a rough surface and are powder coated in a light gold color that creates a warm light in offices, regardless of orientation. Add to that a system of interior shades that are used to calibrate the amount of daylight.
20Design / details
These small ports make it easier for people with a psychosocial disability to work, and are useful for everyone. The signage is also part of the building's wayfinding strategy, and here clarity is a key word. One such thing is the small metal supports that are half inserted into the wooden handrail at the stairs and in the connection with the office wings.
22Design / details
The fire-resistant zones are pressurized, which keeps smoke out of the area and allows people to stay safely in the zone for up to an hour. Fire drills have shown that the 300 employees in the house, 20 percent of whom are wheelchair users, can be evacuated within six minutes. Telecoils are available at reception, in the lifts and in all meeting rooms.
The experience of using the house Since its inauguration in December 2012, the House of Organizations of Persons with Disabilities has provided a framework for the daily working life of 300 people. Many things are successful and users are generally satisfied with the home, as they generally find the home accessible and equitable. This conclusion is based on a rough estimate of the process that hinders the realization and of the users.
This applies to the daylight, which everyone thinks is a great quality, and the acoustics, which, despite the size of the atrium, are experienced as pleasant and not harsh. The office units are generally considered to be functioning well, while the open offices at the end of the wings are perceived as problematic because they are located directly adjacent to the corridors. The corridors of the meeting center can be difficult to navigate for people with visual impairments.
Disabled people's organizations Denmark will use the acquired user experiences to change, among other things, the flow through the canteen, because this will improve overall accessibility for the benefit of all. Additionally, the Home Organizations of Disabled Persons will act as a test center for various building boards and technological solutions. The system sends signals to a smartphone about your location at home, telling you that there are, for example, seven steps to the stairs or the nearest toilet.
It was never planned that the house should provide a static picture of available solutions, dated 2012. In this way, the house will also have exemplary value in the future, among other things because the experience gained can be repeated in similar building projects. Handicap organizations Denmark works to ensure that people with disabilities can live a life as
People with disabilities should be able to participate, contribute and be part of the community.
32Perspectives
34Credits
