Dialogue: Universal Design in Hospitality

Columns magazine hosted a Dialogue with three local experts to discuss the topic. Marcela Abadi Rhoads is the founder and owner of Abadi Accessibility, and Ricardo León is a designer who recently left Omniplan to join Baldridge Architects in Austin. The third participant, Scott Eisenhart, vice president of Nunzio Marc Desantis Architects, provided written remarks after a last-minute scheduling conflict kept him from joining in person. The dialogue has been edited for brevity and clarity.

 

Nate Eudaly

Welcome to the AIA Dallas Columns magazine Dialogue on universal design in hospitality. Let’s start with defining universal design as “the design of buildings, products, or environments to make them accessible to all people, regardless of age, disability, or other factors. Design advocates say universal design should be both aesthetically pleasing and usable to the greatest extent possible by everyone, regardless of age, ability, or status in life. In architecture, universal design generally means creating spaces that meet the needs of all people, young and old, able, and disabled.”

Ricardo, what do you think about the definition?

 

Ricardo León

I think it’s almost there. I’d also account for people who perhaps have different needs, be it the practice of different religions, intersectionality that may have factors with age and religion and gender. I think universal design tries to address the needs of all these different people that perhaps aren't part of the norm. 

 

Marcela Abadi Rhoads

We need to keep in mind that universal design tends to just be a set of principles that are good to use in our designs, but they’re not a code. As such, they’re not guidelines that everyone is necessarily following. And I know that I haven’t seen them in the designs that I review for Americans With Disabilities Act and Texas Accessibilty Standards, which are a set of written requirements that the federal government has instituted along with those from state and local governments. But universal design isn’t there yet. Like Ricardo said, it’s still just concepts. 

 

Ricardo 

It’s more of a philosophy, but there’s no license or examination or standards for it. But I think it’s slowly becoming part of the design conversation. 

 

Nate 

Let’s talk about architecture schools for a minute. Ricardo, from your studies and your involvement with several universities, are the concepts of universal design touched on much in architectural education? 

 

Ricardo 

Unfortunately, no. I’ve had experience in teaching and as well as having gone to two schools of architecture, and it’s not really a part of the pedagogy. Architecture pedagogy traditionally is taught through a very specific lens of able-bodied, white cisgendered male architects and thinkers. To instead take into account people from other backgrounds is difficult. People with different bodies, with different needs don’t fit the traditional norm they’re used to seeing and learning about. It gets lost in the practice of design thinking and design teaching. I know ADA is loosely taught in some design studios, but it’s more of the way you’d introduce basic building codes, basically rote and repeated to students without questioning why we are integrating this into our designs. So the concept of universal design with the intent that spaces can be experienced and accessed equally by all people, including those with disabilities, is something that I don’t think is prominent in design teaching.

 

Marcela

And I think that’s the beginning of it. Architecture students have to embrace the idea of designing for all and then bring that mindset to their practice because it’s harder to develop that awareness once they are in practice. We aren’t taught code in school, so we only learn it in practice because building officials won’t give us a permit otherwise. But, as Ricardo said, we need to focus on why we are doing this. Who are we doing it for? It needs to be a part of the whole process. 

 

Scott Eisenhart

I think most schools try to promote a universal design approach to architecture. While they don’t always get too hung up on specific requirements and details, they still push the idea that architecture should be accessible to all individuals.     

 

Nate

If universal design is not taught in depth in school, how does it get incorporated into practice? Ricardo, how does the studio encourage clients to consider and incorporate universal design in its projects?

 

Ricardo 

It’s something that the architect has to bring up because it’s usually not going to be on the radar of the average client. There are so many benefits to addressing this because ultimately, especially in hospitality, millions of people with disabilities are impacted by this. People have different needs, and if you’re disregarding those people, that can’t be good for your business. I don’t think clients intentionally do that, but it’s something that needs to be addressed since it benefits everyone. It’s a win-win situation. 

 

Nate 

Scott, how does NMD Architects incorporate universal design in its projects?

 

Scott 

You have to treat each one on a project-by-project basis. Incorporating UD into a large-scale resort that is scattered along a Mexican coastline is very different from how you would approach a midtown high-rise project. There are holistic approaches you can take for all projects, such as making sure you have adequate accessible rooms, accessible toilet fixtures, maintaining code clearances. But how you achieve those concepts on different project scales and locations can be dramatically different.    

 

Marcela

Most of the time, firms must have internal standards to ensure they incorporate it into their design, so it becomes just a part of the standard criteria. Then we can make universal design integral into principles of good design itself. 

 

Nate 

What are some of the key factors of universal design that need to be integral in designing for hospitality?

 

Scott

I think accessibility is the key UD feature for any of those spaces. If someone can’t get to the function, then they can’t experience it. Although it sounds simple, this is probably one of the most difficult features to actually achieve. As designers, we constantly strive to create new and unique experiences, and sometimes that means wanting to create exclusive destinations on or within a property. The very word “exclusive” is the complete opposite to UD, so the real challenge is how do you create these special instances yet still make it accessible to all.

 

Marcela

I think ADA is a good first step for that. One of the things that we understand is people in wheelchairs, and that’s very prominent in our guidelines. People who are hearing-impaired have some necessary design accommodations. But one thing that designers miss a lot is people who don’t have dexterity, the ability to easily use their hands. I know that it drives me crazy when I am inspecting a shower and they mount the handheld device at the right height (at 48 inches), but they make it really difficult to adjust, really difficult to use. What’s the point of mounting it at a certain height if the person can’t even use it? It’s a disconnect — they go for one thing, but they don’t go to the next thing. And so universal design and ADA are good partners. Yes, people in wheelchairs need universal design, but so do people who can’t use their hands because of arthritis. Also, there are challenges for people who are short, like me. If you put a hotel safe really high up, I can’t use it. And if you put it too low, people with challenges in bending can’t use it. The positioning of hangers is also very important in hotels so they are accessible. 

 

Ricardo 

There are some things that aren’t explicitly in accessibility guidelines so aren’t taken into consideration. They may look nice, but may tend to cause problems for another group of people. Those things require testing and research. As far as hospitality and universal design, there’s this misconception that separate but equal design is acceptable. In my experience, ADA guidelines tend to gloss over the lack of accessibility in many spaces. Providing ramps for wheelchairs as an alternative to a main entrance with stairs is a good first step. But this idea of separate but equal tends to also segregate and stigmatize those with disabilities. It does not integrate the experience for everyone, which is ultimately the goal of universal design. A designer is not going to say this entrance is for able-bodied people and this one is for those with disabilities. Yes, you’re satisfying ADA, but you’re not necessarily creating this equitable space.

 

Marcela

Such a good point. I think that architects understand  the principle of not separating but making spaces accessible for everyone is important. Automatic doors help everyone. It helps people with suitcases, people in wheelchairs, strollers. 

 

Ricardo 

That’s a good example. Same with a curb cut on a sidewalk: It was made to address accessibility for wheelchairs, but it also helps parents with strollers or people with suitcases, so it benefits everyone. Those are the solutions that are most successful because they also end up making the space more user-friendly even for those who are not disabled.

 

Marcela

And if we start designing this way, then you would simplify access for everyone. There are issues with reception desks, too — why are they so high? Why don’t they make them all at an accessible level? Inevitably, they’ll make a tall one and a short one. And the short ones are always full of brochures, so it is not easy to use. Often there is the same issue at restaurants. They’ll have a tall bar and then a short bar, and the lower-height bar has all the trays and dirty dishes, so what's the point of that?

 

Nate 

So in restaurants, you mentioned the bar areas, but are there other universal design elements you think should become standards in restaurant design?

 

Ricardo 

Menus are the biggest thing. I think restaurants should provide alternate menus to those who have low vision or who maybe only use Braille. A lot of restaurants don’t have that easily available. Restaurants should also have menus with larger text, signage that’s clearly visible, and a very clear means of accessing the restrooms. It should not be something that has to be discovered and is not intuitive. Clarify and simplify.

A lot of websites I use that are more disability rights-focused are including tools within their websites and platforms to be able to read the text on the line of a particular page. This is helpful when looking for hotels and restaurants. They can also create contrast within the text or create pages without any graphics. For websites, that should be a standard.

 

Nate 

In hotel rooms and bathrooms, what are some universal design components that should be incorporated? 

 

Marcela

One thing that ADA did right is that all the doors are wide enough now for everyone to get in. So it’s not just the accessible rooms that require a clearance width of 32 inches. It is all the rooms, which is great, because why should everyone have to come to Ricardo’s room since his wheelchair won’t fit through the doors of regular rooms? We’re all traveling together, and we should all be able to visit each other’s rooms. So that’s one good thing. Hotels should also install both regular (high) clothes rods and also one that’s low for people who have limitations on their reach. They should have both. Controls are also really difficult. Sometimes the knob to turn on a lamp is hard to maneuver for people with arthritis. They should make a switch that can easily be used. One last thing is balconies and terraces with sliding doors that are sometimes hard to pull open and shut. So there are certain concepts that will help not just one set of people but will also help everyone.

 

Ricardo 

Absolutely. Going to hotels, for me, can sometimes be dicey, because, even when I reserve an accessible room, I have lost count of the number of times none are available when I check in and I'm out of luck. The whole process of being able to request accommodations should be very easy and very straightforward. I shouldn’t have to go through this onslaught of barriers within the website or calling people just to get to a room that actually addresses my needs. And at the same time, more rooms should incorporate universal design solutions. I’m not saying every single room has to have the larger bathroom that has the roll-in shower, although that’d be nice and make my life way easier. But more rooms can have standard grab bars. There are easier solutions that don’t require completely modifying every single bathroom or every single hotel room that could be just standardized more.

 

Marcela

Can I ask you a question, Ricardo, because that’s an interesting thought that you like roll-in showers. If you look at the ADA, a hotel with less than 50 rooms is not allowed to have roll-in showers. Roll-in showers don’t kick in until you’re 50 rooms or more. Somehow the Access Board thought that rolling showers weren’t good, because they made it so that you do tubs or transfer showers instead.

 

Ricardo 

I'd like to see them try it out with the wheelchair. The transfer showers are not as safe. There are some people that simply can’t transfer easily in those situations. 

 

Marcela

Many boutique hotels have less than 50 rooms, then aren’t required to provide roll-in showers. Thank you for pointing this need out. 

 

Nate 

Speaking of hotel chains, are there certain hotels that you think do better than average as far as having universal design as part of their properties?

 

Scott 

Marriott is a great company and one of the leaders in UD practices. They adhere stringently to the ADA guidelines as part of their brand standards and also incorporate many additional elements that go above and beyond minimums to make sure their properties are universally accessible.

If UD is not adequately incorporated into hospitality design, it restricts the user experiences for those with disabilities. The last thing you want to do is create an amazing project with multiple unique user experiences within that project and then exclude those experiences from a certain percentage of users.  

 

Marcela

I know that the Omni has hired me to do assessments on their property, and the Magnolia did, too. So those people are really on top of ADA and TAS, but their focus doesn’t necessarily extend to universal design. 

 

Ricardo 

And I think many of the larger chains tend to have universal design concepts more integrated into their design standards. From personal experience, I often use Hilton because their website is easy to search for accessible rooms. They’ve also retrofitted many of their older hotels to include these accessible rooms. 

 

Nate 

Thinking about the manufacturers of furnishings and fixtures for the hospitality industry, are they making enough products available with universal design features? 

 

Marcela

I’m having a really hard time finding products that meet specific guidelines. They’re just not there. Window manufacturers are not in line with universal design standards. There are lots of toilet room accessories that are not in compliance, and they think they are. And you’ll look at the cut sheet, and they’ll put in the little universal symbol of accessibility. And it’s not. 

 

Ricardo 

Yeah, and then as far as furniture, I don’t think there’s as much focus from mainstream companies to incorporate not only accessibility guidelines, but also alternate solutions. They need to consider how people in wheelchairs transfer to their furniture. To have furniture that is accessible you usually have to resort to using companies that specifically deal with adaptive equipment.

 

Marcela

What about hotel beds? 

 

Ricardo 

I don't know if it’s an issue with the actual hotel just making the bed platform too high, or is that the manufacturer itself? But yeah, sometimes beds are way too high for anyone with any sort of mobility needs. 

 

Marcela

Because the ADA doesn’t really dictate furniture or how high the furniture should be, hotels may not technically violate ADA standards for that, but it is not easily accessible. So definitely, universal design concepts for furniture haven’t gotten there yet.

 

Ricardo 

Definitely not.

 

Scott 

There is definitely a move toward UD in manufacturing of furniture, finishes and equipment and fixtures, but I believe this is mainly driven by the ADA requirements as adopted federally and by state and city jurisdictions. As the requirements for ADA guidelines become more global in design, manufacturers will have to incorporate more of these parameters into their products. And, in turn, as the design community is required to meet these ADA guidelines, they will get more creative with how they achieve the end goals in a more aesthetically pleasing way.

 

Nate 

To raise awareness within the design profession about the need for greater use of universal design, do you think that design awards should have categories for projects that successfully incorporate universal design?

 

Scott 

I’m of the belief that UD should be an inherent staple in every architect’s tool bag. A great designer is always thinking of the greater good and should consider their projects in terms of UD as they generally design. So it should be more of an inherent expectation, not something to be recognized separately.    

 

Marcela

I think recognizing UD in design awards is a great idea. The Accessibility Professionals Association, in conjunction with the Texas governor’s office, presented a design award for a few years, but then it stopped when the state quit supporting it. It would definitely bring awareness; maybe the AIA codes and standards committee could do something. Design awards with universal design could be given not only for new construction but also for retrofitting using universal design concepts. The Dallas College district did a whole upgrade of its campuses for universal design. Clyde Porter, former associate vice chancellor of facilities management and planning/district architect for Dallas College district, championed it, and that should have gotten an award. 

 

Ricardo 

Yeah, absolutely. It should be part of the design awards, both built and unbuilt. Incorporate criteria into the main awards. 

 

Marcela

But if they make it a separate award, wouldn’t it become more a focus of discussion? Like: “This specifically is great universal design.”

 

Ricardo 

Yeah, absolutely. Make sure that the built awards at least satisfy a little bit of a minimum. And then you give a separate award for those that go above and beyond.

 

Marcela

Above and beyond. Yeah. For sure Let’s do it, Ricardo! Let’s do it! 

 

Nate 

Over the last couple of decades, progress has been made in universal design. The ADA has been a springboard for this. But from our discussion today, there are still a lot of things that need to happen. So, if you can look out between now and 2030, what do you think should be front and center as it relates to universal design in hospitality? 

 

Scott 

The greatest accomplishment in terms of UD, which is also the most difficult to accomplish at times, is the creation of the ADA guidelines. While these guidelines do not cover every single issue or disability out there, they do give a broad range of requirements that make sure the majority of built projects are accessible by most. And while “most” is not “all,” it is a good starting point. 

 

Marcela

They need to keep thinking about incorporating universal design not just for a few sets of users but for the culture overall. And I think education is important. By 2030 we should aspire to have our universities teach more universal design principles. That way our culture, our future architects, and our future designers should have that sensibility as part of their design culture. 

 

Ricardo 

Absolutely. Yeah, it’s more of a cultural shift so that designers and clients have universal design as integral parts of their buildings, and then their products. Users also need to understand these principles as well. And people with disabilities need to be represented in all those conversations. Within advisory boards, with all the key decision-makers, make sure there’s somebody with firsthand knowledge of the issues that can be a champion. 

 

Marcela

And more manufacturers need to have greater awareness that their products have to be more in line with universal design principles. Architects need to be more aware of what products are out there that they can specify and then patronize those companies. 

 

Ricardo 

I’d like to see a few more people with disabilities in hospitality marketing materials. Let people know that disability is something that is very normal and very real. And it’s something to not hide. So I think the more we get into the mainstream, as far as representation, it can only add to this cultural shift that will hopefully get people to become more aware of how universal design can benefit all people. 

 

Nate 

Marcella and Ricardo, both of you are champions and advocates for how and why universal design should be an integral part of the hospitality industry. Scott, your thoughts and expertise on UD are appreciated and valued. Thanks to all of you for your time and for sharing your insights and thoughts – greatly appreciated!

 

About the panelists: 

Marcela Abadi Rhoads, FAIA, RAS is the owner of Abadi Accessibility, an accessibility consulting firm that is dedicated to educating the building industry about the laws of accessibility. She is the author of The ADA Companion Guide and Applying the ADA, published by John Wiley and Sons. 

With more than 12 years of experience in architectural design and construction, Scott Eisenhart, AIA is skilled in a broad range of project types and sizes. His portfolio of work spans the globe with projects in South America, Eastern Europe, Russia, China, and Singapore as well as in the U.S. Scott is a vice president at Nunzio Marc Desantis Architects. 

Ricardo A. León, Assoc. AIA is an architectural and graphic designer from  Dallas. He is a co-founder of the collective workshop : (pronounced colon), which examines alternative architectural practices and ideas. He has taught design studios at UTA CAPPA, is a guest critic at Columbia University’s GSAPP, and works as a designer at Baldridge Architects in Austin.

 

Discussion led by Nate Eudaly, Hon. AIA Dallas, executive director at the Dallas Architecture Forum.