Universal seating area NO LIMITS

Silesian University of Technology, (Politechnika Śląska), Faculty of Architecture, Gliwice

Project idea

The idea behind the project is to open up the space for every kind of student and person – whether or not they are fully capable of doing everyday tasks, everybody should feel included and welcome, and seating and relaxing areas designed to meet everybody’s needs do just that. They make every person feel thought of and considered. It is designed to represent equality and accesibility of public space for everyone.

Project description

Universal seating area NO LIMITS is suitable for any kind of person; from people with disabilities, such as eyesight problems or being wheelchair-bound, through elderly and parents with kids, to students who just have lots of stuff on their hands. Warm to the touch wood and ergonomic shapes help to relax and di-stress inbetween classes or during a walk. It can be situated in any setting, any place, that people use frequently, just like hallways, any waiting rooms, or even on the campus' property gardens, between trees, near sidewalks or just outside the buildings.
Besides the usual seating area benches, it includes:
• bright colours, to help the visually impaired,
• texture for easier orientation for people using white canes,
• drinking spot for guide dogs or any other animals,
• trashcans enabling recycling, descripted with Braille alphabet,
• a place for safely placing a white cane, an umbrella or other belongings,
• a place to comfortably lean on, eiter for elderly, people for whom sitting down completely is too much hustle or just to place your belongings on for a while,
• a place for people using wheelchairs, with foldable desks, perfect for using your laptop, eating, or doing homework or other schoolwork.

Technical information

The width span of the seating area is rougly 620 centimeters, not including the far sided trashcan and drinking spot for dogs. It was thought to be done in wood, to assure organic and natural look, and natural warmth. It is best to be placed leaning against a wall of a building, for the maximum visibility of the contrast for visually impaired people, however a similar effect can be achieved by simply placing it against shorter wall for example in a garden.

Documentation

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