Universal Design Africa

Name: Universal Design Africa
Address: 21 Dreyer Street, Cape Town, 7708, ZA
Telephone: +27 21 674 5193

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Universal Design Africa

Universal Design Africa is based in Cape Town, South Africa and focuses on social integration through good design, locally, nationally and internationally.

Universal Design Africa is a company based on Universal Design as a progressive approach to social integration. Universal Design is a vehicle to create and enhance the functionality of environments, services and products for the widest range of users, recognizing the diversity of the human condition.

So what is Universal Design? Make a mental note if you have ever experienced any of the following:
-Being intoxicated and trying to navigate through an area
-Being pregnant and moving about a city or mall
-Travelling to a country where you experience a language barrier
-Broken an arm/leg
-Spent time with an elderly person
-Walked on a slippery floor surfaces (ladies-think high heel shoes)
-Tried to pull your luggage up/down a flight of stairs
-Tripped over an obstruction in the path of travel while you were texting/reading
-Got lost due to insufficient or poor signage (Speaking specifically to people navigating in JHB)
-Opening your car door to reach for your parking ticket at a boom gate
-Read an instruction manual that didn’t have images and was pages and pages long
-Sat at a desk that was too high or too low
-Got a new smart device where you didn’t understand the new symbols on the screen
-Tried to pour yourself a glass of milk in the dark of the night

It is very likely that you have had more than one of the above experiences and found that going about a seemingly simple task is easily complicated. Universal Design is a design process that once it is understood, greater steps in accommodating all people in the design of environments, systems and products could be improved. Universal Design does not belong to a set of professionals; it is rather an understanding of the diverse human needs that exist and is an awareness on how to make the world a better place for everyone, through good design. Universal Design (UD) is applicable and appropriate to the architectural field, all design fields (graphics, textile, product, etc), to system designs, website designs, to teachers and learners, if your career in any way deals with or works with people, UD is something that you should know about.

Address

21 Dreyer Street
Cape Town
7708

Telephone

+27 21 674 5193

Website

http://www.udafrica.com

Products

RESPONSIBLE DESIGN
It is our belief, that design makes a significant impact upon our society. It is therefore, an imperative need for designers of the future, to have a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the value that inclusive design offers to clients and society as whole. Therefore we offer short courses and workshops to promote the key and fundamental principles of Universal Design.

UNIVERSAL ACCESS AUDITS
There is no campus too big or office too small for us to audit. We offer numerous universal access auditing packages which could be tailored to the client’s specific requirements. We have our very own, trademarked and specifically designed App, based strictly on SANS 10400 Part S (Facilities for People with Disabilities) which allows rapid onsite data capturing and allows for various other interventions such detailed recommendations, bespoke design, QS costing and in some cases even revised drawing plans , all to meet Part S compliance.

WEB AUDITS AND DESIGN
Our universal access audits don’t stop in the physical realm. We have the finest & brightest IT department who strive for excellence in all digital forms, from auditing websites; making them more user friendly, to increased accessibility & compliance with W3C, to developing and tailoring new websites or mobile platforms that promote our clients’ specific needs & requirements.

UNIVERSAL DESIGN CONSULTANT
As Universal Design Consultants we serve on many committees and have been involved in numerous projects, nationally. From public buildings and facilities such as the New Engineering Building at UCT, to major transport systems such as, Go George and the Gautrain. We research and investigate, unpack issues, establish stakeholder forums specifically for people with diverse human needs, offer training on all levels, from management to customer care and find solutions for all our clients’ requirements and needs to design inclusive services, products, environments and facilities.

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