Universal Design for Smart Public Space

Universal Design is a design approach with the objective of creating suitable use of space, product, and environment that everyone in the society can understand, access and use easily. It does not aim for a certain group of disability but serve as much of different users as possible.  Meşhur and Çakmak (2018) intrduces seven principles that Smart City can adopt to provide better design across the city planning, urban, landscape and interior design. 

1. Equitable of Use: Design should be able to be use and purchased by differing sets of skills
2. Flexibility in Use: Design should have a wide variety in accordance of personal skill and preference of the user and it'll be beneficial if it can offer alternatives.
3. Simple and Intuitive Use: Designs should be easily understood, regardless of the concentration level, which exists with in accordance with the user's experience, information, language and skills.
4. Perceptible Information: Design should provide simple usage regardless of people's experience, knowledge and skill levels.
5. Tolerance of Error: Design should keep the bad outcomes and dangers arising from an accident or unwanted actions at a minimum level.
6. Low Physical Effort: Designed products and spaces should allow for efficient and comfortable usage by using minimum effort
7. Size and Space for Approach and Use: Appropriate space should be provided within approach, accessibility and usage sizes for different body sizes, postures, and characteristics of movement in mind.

Reference

Meşhur, H. F., & Yılmaz Çakmak, B. (2018). Universal design in urban public spaces: the case of Zafer Pedestrian Zone/Konya-Turkey. Iconarp International Journal of Architecture and Planning.

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