House of Disability Organisations (DPOD)
Entity which complete it
Country
Town
Project name
Stating Year
Where it takes place
Range of age
Type of disability
Project link
Why is it a good practice of the Person-Centered Model?
Integrating associations of different dissabilities into the same building to find more inclusive solutions for programs, projects or pilots that they develop by themselves.
The design of the building promotes user independence: orientation through colors, light, and sound, pathways for blind individuals, tactile markings on handrails, and an innovative independent evacuation since the elevators are usable, eliminating the need to wait in refuge areas for assistance. This means that everyone can evacuate themselves.
Integrated Assessment (Person, Family, Housing) and Life History
The design of the building was a Competition where the participants had to take a Course in Universal Accesibility. One of the purposes of the course was to let participants experience the kind of challenges
people with a disability encounter in
everyday life. Therefore, the course
featured a number of ‘try-it-yourself
exercises’, where the participants
tested the physical environment of
a building while using either a wheelchair, hearing protectors, or mobility stick and blindfold. This was an eye-opener in terms of understanding the singular importance of accessibility as an architectural premise,
as well as understanding some of
the building’s future users’ realities.
Personalised Care and Support Plan for the Life Project
It is relatively easy for a person with multiple disabilities to find advice, support, and learn about the resources they need in one place or building.
Support groups
Now they are 30 organisations working in the same building.
Having effective collaborations with the member organisations, being in close dialogue with the local branches, and making a commitment at the international level are all prerequisites for DPOD obtaining good results. They often stand stronger when they create alliances with other organisations and citizens groups, which is why they cherish the alliances and always seek to make new ones.
Case Management and Resource Coordinator
DPOD decided to go for a turnkey
contract competition, however the
price would count for only 25 per
cent in the assessment of proposals,
while the qualitative criteria would
amount to 75 per cent. For this reason, the bidders had to hand in their price offers in sealed envelopes,
which were only opened after the
qualitative aspects of the offers had
been appraised. With this approach,
DPOD wanted to demonstrate that a
universally designed office building
does not have to cost more than a
standard office building, as long as
universal design is implemented
from the beginning as an integrated
design strategy.
Highlined results
Dynamic laboratory with exemplary value. It was never the intention that the building become a static image of accessible solutions, dated 2012.
Rather, the building should continue being a laboratory, where changes are made on an ongoing basis, and
new solutions can be developed based on emerging knowledge and new experiences.
Inspiring ideas for other enviorments. It can works! 😉
Could become a coworking place for people with dissabilities in orden to do networking and have direct support from the organisations.
Other observations
Self-criticism and follow-up:
In 2016, the Danish Building Research Institute (SBi)
carried out a thorough evaluation of the house and
the users’ experiences. The evaluation showed that
much has been achieved and that the users are generally satisfied with the house. Overall, users also
agree that the building is both accessible and equal.
But the evaluation also pointed to a number of solutions that did not work as expected.
Based on this knowledge and experiences from the
users’ everyday life, the house has been continuously
adapted and developed