It is quite impossible to maneuver through, without any barriers of my own. However, I can think of many issues that this blatant lack of UDL can pose to some people living with disabilities.
Firstly, due to the heater in the corner (behind the door), the door cannot open properly all the way, which leaves an awkward amount of space for any human to get through. Not to mention that the toilet is protruding from the right side. If there were any person with a physical disability, gross motor deficits, visual impairments, orientation and mobility deficits, or any kind of sensory aversion to small spaces, this bathroom would definitely not be suitable. And this is just because of the placement of the door and heater.
Moving forward to the toilet itself, there would be no space for any kind of architectural accommodation for anyone who needed extra support to use the bathroom, such as bars or extra space for a wheelchair. In that same vein, the sink would be completely unusable because of its shape and size, including how tall it is and how far away the faucet is (and because the toilet is right next to it, there would be no way to maneuver around it to be able to use it).
Lastly comes the shower, with its giant step to get into the tub and the faucet knobs that are too high to reach for someone with a physical disability that limits his or her walking or standing ability. Not to mention that it requires a significant amount of twisting to get it to turn on and to a comfortable temperature, which for a person with gross or fine motor deficits would be considerably difficult.
It is quite obvious that New York City is not a kind place for people with special needs. This one bathroom--which compared to many other bathrooms in NYC is quite large--is just one example of the work that needs to be done with UDL in mind so that all people can experience the most comfortable and basic lifestyle. Shouldn't everyone be allowed to use the bathroom comfortably?
Yes! this is so true. NYC apartments are not made with UD in mind at all. When I worked for a NYC apartment building, which used to be a NYU dorm, I actually saw how detrimental this could be for someone with a disability. I was showing one woman around who was in a wheel chair. The first thing she did was to check if she could close the bathroom door, which she couldn't. In the kitchen she could not turn around, some closets were inaccessible due to the tight space between the closet and opposite wall. I think what shocked me most about this was that it used to be an NYU dorm, and therefore I could not imagine any NYU student in a wheel chair being able to dorm there.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment Angela! It's amazing that you got to see that first-hand. I was trying to put myself in someone else's shoes, but you witnessed it. That must have been hard to sell the apartment on your part. It is definitely hard to find an example of an NYC bathroom that is built with aspects of UD!
ReplyDeleteNatalie,
ReplyDeleteI think that unfortunately to fix this problem you would have to basically gut the entire bathroom and start over...which is costly and most likely unrealistic for you right now, and unfortunate for anyone who would need greater ability to access the bathroom. I saw your next post that included your changes for the bathroom. I think all of your ideas are great, and would definitely make the bathroom more accessible for just about anyone