By
Samuel
J.
Supalla
11 minutes long <><><> Click h ere for the English transcript
Citation
Edwards, C., & Harold, G. (2014). DeafSpace and the principles of universal design. Disability and
Rehabilitation, 36(16), 1350-1359.
Abstract
Purpose: Recent debates about the epistemological origins of Universal Design (UD) have questioned how
far universalist design approaches can address the particularities and diversities of the human form through a
series of standardised, technical responses. This article contributes to these debates by discussing an
emergent architectural paradigm known as DeafSpace, which articulates a set of design principles originating
from the d/Deaf community in the US. Method: Commentary. Results: DeafSpace has emerged as a design
paradigm rooted in an expression of d/Deaf cultural identity based around sign language, rather than as a
response designed to compensate for, or minimise, impairment. It distinguishes itself from UD by
articulating a more user-centred design process, but its principles are arguably rooted in notions of d/Deaf
identity based around consensus and homogeneity, with less attention paid to the socio-political contexts
which shape diverse experiences of d/Deafness and the exclusion(s) of d/Deaf people from the built
environment. Conclusions: While proponents of DeafSpace argue that UD and DeafSpace are not mutually
exclusive, nor DeafSpace principles applicable only to d/Deaf people, questions remain about the type of
spaces DeafSpace creates, most notably whether they lead to the creation of particularist spaces of and for
the d/Deaf community, or reflect a set of design principles which can be embedded across a range of
different environments.
The Power of ASL
8
Summer 2016 – Issue 2