Universal Design

Universal Design is an approach to environment, product and service design, to meet the needs of all people. A BarrierFree environment is the outcome of a Universal Design approach.

The basic premise of Universal Design is that all people have differing abilities and needs when using the environment and to create a positive experience for the building user. These diverse needs can be accommodated if the approach to design is comprehensive and inclusive and does not cater for specific disabilities.

For 25 years, BarrierFree has advocated for the creation of ‘Barrier Free’ environments. Our approach has focussed on the end result; environments which cater for individual needs. We provide training, guidance and assessment services to improve the understanding of accessibility to those involved with the design through to construction of environments.

We achieve this by understanding the specific requirements of those with differing impairments and how they interact with the environment.

Buildings for Everyone - Designing for Access and Usability

In 2019, BarrierFree led a project on behalf of MBIE to produce the first national guide in New Zealand about implementing a Universal Design approach.