Designing Inclusive Cities: The Role of Universal Design in Creating Accessible Urban Atmospheres
Contemporary cities are vibrant, complex, and constantly evolving. Above all, they are ever-changing, mutable, and diverse. What transformative changes are occurring, and where are they leading us? Urbanization continues to gain momentum in many regions of the world, generating visible and structural transformations. As this unfolds, data on the evolution of its configuration and the challenges we encounter begin to emerge. According to the World Bank, the urban population will continue to trend upward, with 90% of new urban residents concentrated in Africa and Asia. This growth raises essential questions: How can we consolidate a design approach that ensures equitable access to spaces, resources, and services? How can we make emerging and consolidated metropolises more inclusive and accessible?
The configuration of many cities often creates barriers that hinder the participation of all people in their dynamics, as if there were fissures in the urban atmosphere that affect cohesion and inclusion. The rapid growth of the older adult population and the fact that over half of all people with disabilities reside in urban areas further emphasizes this reality. By 2050, the number of people aged 65 and over will double the number of those under five and almost equal the number under 12.
Urban atmospheres, as a whole, form a web of interdependent connections. Each element contributes to a system that must continuously integrate into a cohesive model, extending from the crosswalk to a building’s rooftop. From the door to the next point in the urban chain, alongside sidewalks and building interiors, forms a cohesive whole—a city that, in response to ongoing demographic and social changes, requires new design strategies to foster accessibility and inclusion. Could the system become fragmented in the short and long term if it doesn’t account for people’s diversity?
Going Beyond the Standard Adult Model
By the middle of the 20th century, Le Corbusier conceived his anthropometric prototype, the Modulor. However, some points of view have challenged this model’s representation of the human scale, arguing that it reflects a young adult, healthy man. Rather than challenging Le Corbusier’s vision, this is an example of how, on a societal level, a universal vision that considers fundamental elements such as gender, physical conditions, and age, among others, had not been adopted to shape our environment.
Incorporating more inclusive perspectives into design recognizes that the experience of space varies according to factors such as gender, age, physical abilities, and cognitive or emotional conditions. Cities that have adopted gender-responsive approaches to urbanism, for example, have identified ways to improve safety in public transportation, redistribute the use of shared spaces, and design environments that promote more significant equity in everyday life. Ultimately, a purely standardized perspective omits diverse experiences and needs that influence how we inhabit contemporary space. Cities have traditionally been designed based on a prototypical user, often overlooking how different bodies, identities, and lifestyles interact with the built environment. It is increasingly evident that there is no fully defined standard adult model.
Integrating more inclusive approaches transforms how we conceive public space and urban infrastructure, rather than simply adapting regulations or complying with an agenda. From the furniture arrangement to the organization of urban routes, every design decision can expand or restrict accessibility and a sense of belonging. Creating urban environments that contemplate human diversity responds to a question of equity and enriches the urban experience, promoting more livable cities for all people.
Designing “Age-Friendly” Multi-Generational Cities
Considering different ages in urban planning is fundamental to creating environments that accompany the various stages of life. Children need safe and empowering public spaces for play and exploration, while adolescents need socialization areas beyond shopping mall consumption. For elders and people with disabilities, accessibility, adequate street furniture, and proximity to services are essential to maintaining autonomy. Initiatives that seek to rethink public space are increasingly common.
Even aspects such as the speed at which we walk determine how we inhabit the city. This physical factor shows that, throughout our lives, our experience of public space and urban atmospheres changes, both because the environment evolves and because we inevitably age. At this intersection of circumstances, we can explore a high potential for innovation for our cities to find a multi-generational vision.
Creating cities that respond to the needs of different age groups improves the quality of life and fosters interaction between generations, strengthening the social fabric. Building age-friendly cities is necessary if we want livable environments that offer a tangible quality of life, reflecting and connecting all life cycle stages in urban design.
The global urban-demographic evolution, within the framework of an inclusive and universal design perspective, does not require discarding previous models but expanding them to respond to a more diverse and dynamic society. The city must stop being just a reflection of a standard and become a space capable of welcoming all its inhabitants in all their plurality. Cities can be challenging to manage, but it is precisely in this complexity that opportunities for new dynamics emerge, influenced by statistical fluctuations, massive displacements of people, and openness to new visions of the world. Ultimately, cities and the traces we leave in them stand as some of the most significant testimonies of human evolution in the built environment.
This article is part of the ArchDaily Topics: Atmosphere in Architecture and Perception of Space, proudly presented by Vitrocsa, the original minimalist windows since 1992.
Vitrocsa created the original minimalist window systems, offering frameless solutions with the narrowest sightline barriers in the world. For over 30 years, we have pursued innovation and Swiss-made excellence to transform ambitious architectural visions into reality, enhancing atmospheres through light, transparency, and design.
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