What helpful facilities can we find for disabled people in public spaces in Italy?
In Italy, a large part of the economy is dependent on tourism, which is caused by the warm climate, beautiful views and easy access to the sea. Everyone would like to visit without encountering problems such as communication or public transportation. Disabled people are a large but unique group of people who have various needs that can make travelling harder.
Through the eyes of a person with disabilities
Picture yourself as a disabled person in a situation where you aren’t able to use a public toilet because it’s too small for a wheelchair. Wouldn’t you feel excluded from society? This is why we implement helpful designs such as lightly inclined ramps with barriers over bridges in Venice. Apart from this, in many cities, you can find barriers beside the stairs to entrances to culturally valuable buildings such as churches, banks and libraries to help elders or people with limited mobility.
Simple solutions
In Udine where you can find the school that we are working with, there is a change in ground level in the marketplace. You only have to go up two steps, but it is still a big problem for a disabled person. That is why a very convenient ramp has been placed there, thanks to which you can easily go up the elevation and see the entire square and get to the many restaurant gardens located there
Plates
Something rarely found in Poland but a convenience that we noticed are the signs on the buildings of institutions that aren’t adapted for people with disabilities. They contain addresses of other branches of a given facility, where entry may be more convenient. The plate in the photo is in the post office. In addition, specially designated parking spaces and bathrooms for the disabled are commonly found. They facilitate the functioning of them and their families.
Is a disabled person able to move around Venice independently?
Navigating city streets through public transport can be a big problem for people with disabilities. But have you ever wondered what disabled people experience while travelling in unusual cities like Venice, where a large part of public transport is carried out on waterways?
Adaptation of educational places for people with disabilities
In day-to-day life, we meet various people for whom public spaces aren’t adapted to their needs. In that case, they encounter difficulties that they have to manage. One of the most troublesome moments in a disabled person's life can be during school. Children who leave their parents or guardians for several hours may feel helpless. We have to ask ourselves; if the place where students spend most of their time is designed for their needs.