As designers, architects, planners, researchers, or educators, many of us are teaching and creating designs that invite people to use and enjoy them. In 2014, there are more than one billion people in the world living with some form of disability and, by 2050, there are anticipated to be more than two billion people in the world older than 60 years. We often see the elderly and people with disabilities struggling, physically or emotionally, with the designs surrounding them. Should we ask ourselves more often if we are including and welcoming these people with each of our designs? Are there new areas we should be taking on?

Universal Design is “the design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design.” Universal Design in design thinking and practice welcomes people to the greatest extent possible, regardless of their age, culture, dimensions, physical/cognitive challenges, and etc., in the use of the products, processes and spaces. Architect Ron Mace founded North Carolina State University’s internationally recognized Center for Universal Design in 1989 starting the first chapter of Universal Design. Twenty-five years later, Universal Design is still facing tremendous challenges and opportunities throughout the world.

We are organizing a Universal Design Symposium to convene people who are passionate or interested in Universal Design to meet, converse, and interact. We are inviting you to the 2015 Universal Design Symposium taking place on March 20 and 21 of 2015 at NC State University’s College of Design. Please join us to initiate the next chapter of Universal Design!

Register

Conference Co-Chairs:
Tsai Lu Liu, IDSA
Professor and Head, Department of Graphic Design and Industrial Design
College of Design, NC State University

Sharon Joines, PhD
Associate Professor of Industrial Design
College of Design, NC State University