Exploring the Accessibility of the Entrances to Goodrich C. White Hall
We are looking at:
- Accessibility - are the entrances designed to accommodate people with all kinds of abilities? (Specifically we will look at people in wheel chairs)
- Goodrich C. White Hall is used for a variety of reasons such as lectures, performances, rehearsals, and special services.
An exclusive look:a student navigating campus in a wheel chair
First day of class. Can't be late to my lecture at White Hall. I'm rolling past the construction site coming from the Anthropology Building. As soon as I reach White Hall I see a daunting amount of stairs. I can't get in this way. There is no sign of a more accessible route, so my heart beats faster.
I follow the path around where I see another entrance. I press the button and the door opens for me but as I roll myself inside I'm stopped. In order to get to my class I need to climb up more stairs to get to the lecture halls where my course is. I guess I can't enter here either. Quickly, I roll myself out backwards and turn around to see an accessible route sign. I sign with relief and follow the direction of the sign. At last, I reach a ramp. I swiftly glide myself up, faster than those walking up the stairs, I press the button to open the door and make it to my class only a few minutes late. |
More about Entrance 1… The construction site obstructs this entrance to White Hall. There is a temporary covered path that leads to White Hall. This entrance only has stairs. There is no other option for accessing this part of the building. Unfortunately, even though this is the most convenient route coming from the Anthropology Building, Callaway Hall or Cannon Chapel it is not accessible for chair users. More about Entrance 2… This entrance is best to use when coming from the quad where many other class halls are located. Both stairs and ramps are available to lead to the entrance to the building. The ramp makes the route slightly longer which is slightly untimely. At the door there is a button with a faded handicap label that can automatically open the doors. Once one gets inside the building from this entrance, they are immediately faced with stairs. A chair user isn’t able to access the lecture halls or the restrooms from this level. Many people may miss it but there is a sign located to the left of doorway that identifies a handicapped pathway. This pathway leads around the building to a ramp that takes you up a level and gives you access to the third entrance’s doors. For more information on how to evaluate the accessibility of this entrance watch the video below and check out my blog post "Assignment 2.4 Evaluating “Access”.
More about Entrance 3…
A ramp is located at the side of this entrance. Stairs are located directly across from the Math and Science building. The doors have a button that allows them to open automatically to assist those that can’t hold the door open for themselves long enough. |
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Now lets check the ADA checklist and see how each entrance complies
What is the ADA?
The ADA is the American Disabilities Act that was signed into law by President George H.W. Bush in 1990 (http://www.ada.gov/ada_intro.htm).
The checklist helps guide people to comply with the regulations of the law and amendments.
Visit http://www.ada.gov/checktxt.htm to see the full checklist
The ADA is the American Disabilities Act that was signed into law by President George H.W. Bush in 1990 (http://www.ada.gov/ada_intro.htm).
The checklist helps guide people to comply with the regulations of the law and amendments.
Visit http://www.ada.gov/checktxt.htm to see the full checklist
Entrance 1Entrance 1 violates the ADA’s mandate that entrances that aren’t accessible should have clear signs indicating a more accessible route. As mentioned in the personal account, the person had to retrace their steps in order to find another accessible route. (http://www.ada.gov/checktxt.htm)
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Entrance 2Entrance 2 violates the ADA’s Priority 2 “Access to Goods and Services” This layout doesn’t allow people to get materials and services without support. If a person in a wheel chair is entering from this entrance they do not have access to the bathroom or the elevator that is located inside. In order to obtain these services, one would have to go back outside and around the building to enter through door 3. (http://www.ada.gov/checktxt.htm)
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Entrance 3Entrance 3 does comply with the ADA’s law of having stairs and a ramp at the main entrance of the building. White Hall doesn’t use its service entrance to accommodate those with disabilities. They provide a ramp that leads people with disabilities to a main door that opens automatically with the push of a button. (http://www.ada.gov/checktxt.htm)
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Denis Cosgrove in his “Geography is Everywhere: Culture and Symbolism in Human Landscapes” from Horizons in Human Geography (1988) mentions that “we deny ourselves a language for framing the very goals we seek: the making of a better human world…” In our case we want to make “a better human world” by making it accessible for people with all abilities. Let’s change the “language” we were using to frame our goals by focusing on how to incorporate the Seven Principles of Universal Design to make Goodrich C. White Hall accessible at all entrances.
Entrance 1This space needs to be reconstructed so it has flexibility in use. A ramp could be added so that the entrance accommodates different preferences and abilities of different people.
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Entrance 2The main problem is that this space doesn’t have an equitable use. To fix this bigger signs need to be put up showing that there is a more accessible route around the corner. It needs to change the perceptible information so it communicates accurately. This entrance could add a life or elevator or ramp inside so that the entrance is flexible in use and simple and intuitive to use.
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Entrance 3This entrance should make sure that the design has tolerance for error if the ramp is wet or slippery. By the time someone has tried the two other entrances they will have used up a lot of energy so it’s especially important that this space has enough space and uses as little physical effort as possible. It might be helpful to build a lift so no energy has to be used to get up to the doorway.
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Works Cited
"Checklist for Readily Achievable Barrier Removal (text Only)." Checklist for Readily Achievable Barrier Removal (text Only). N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Nov. 2013.
Cosgrove, Denis. "Geography Is Everywhere: Culture and Symbolism In Human Landscape." The Cultural Geography Reader. Ed.
Timothy S. Oaks and Patricia L. Price. London and New York: Routledge Taylor and Francis Group and, 2008. 178. Print.
Girsky, Hayley A. "Assignment 2.4 Evaluation Access." Web log post. Emoryhg. Weebly.com, 19 Oct. 2013. Web. 2 Nov. 2013.
"Search ADA.gov." Introduction to the ADA. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Nov. 2013.
"The Seven Principles of Universal Design." Universal Design. N.p., 2013. Web. 02 Nov. 2013.
Cosgrove, Denis. "Geography Is Everywhere: Culture and Symbolism In Human Landscape." The Cultural Geography Reader. Ed.
Timothy S. Oaks and Patricia L. Price. London and New York: Routledge Taylor and Francis Group and, 2008. 178. Print.
Girsky, Hayley A. "Assignment 2.4 Evaluation Access." Web log post. Emoryhg. Weebly.com, 19 Oct. 2013. Web. 2 Nov. 2013.
"Search ADA.gov." Introduction to the ADA. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Nov. 2013.
"The Seven Principles of Universal Design." Universal Design. N.p., 2013. Web. 02 Nov. 2013.