New Book: <em>Universal Design: A Reconsideration of Barrier-Free</em>

The Institute for Human Centered Design is pleased to offer the English-language translation of Dr. Yoshihiko Kawauchi's book Universal Design: A Reconsideration of Barrier-Free translated by Sachi Shirota & Yoko Mori. Yoshi Kawauchi is an architect, author, professor, and winner of the Ron Mace Award in 2000. He is a pioneering leader in Universal Design and resides in Tokyo.

A PDF of the publication is available free to members. The book is also available for purchase through our store.

From the Introduction

The Institute for Human Centered Design is pleased to offer this English-language translation of Dr. Yoshihiko Kawauchi's book originally published in Japanese in 2001. Dr. Kawauchi initially wrote the book as a bridge between the U.S. interpretation of the concept of universal design and a Japanese audience with a different cultural perspective and set of catalysts.

The untimely death in 1998 of Ron Mace, FAIA, visionary and first practitioner of universal design in the United States, inspired the project. Live interviews with initial U.S. leaders in the universal design movement were primary sources. Dr. Kawauchi captured the insights and tenor of a significant idea at a pivotal time. It is a privilege to be able to share this authentic cross-cultural window with a new audience.

The Institute for Human Centered Design (IHCD), founded in Boston in 1978 as Adaptive Environments, is an international non-governmental educational organization (NGO) committed to advancing the role of design in expanding opportunity and enhancing experience for people of all ages and abilities through excellence in design. IHCD's work balances expertise in legally required accessibility with promotion of best practices in human-centered or universal design.

IHCD and Dr. Kawauchi agree that barrier-free/accessible design is an important commitment to equal opportunity but a narrow concept about special solutions for a portion of the population with functional limitations related to disability and/or aging. Universal design is about design, a way of thinking about the power of design to facilitate everyone's experience and well-being.