End-user driven architectural studies in Belgium through student participation in real multi-stakeholder projects and the development of a training programme for user-experts

This paper reports on the exploration of the ‘Universal Design’ concept as a more human-geared design paradigm and teaching tool at the Sint-Lucas School of Architecture, Belgium. Acknowledging the plea for an interdisciplinary approach, the UD programme at centres around the key issue of ‘user-orientation’. The important contribution of user/experts and the recognition of consumers with disabilities as experts is thoroughly demonstrated by UD specialists Laurie Ringaert and Elaine Ostroff. Indeed, one does not need and expert’s eye to see that there is still a big gap between the imaginary world of the designer and the experiential world of the end-user. Focusing on Government-planned urban projects such as KOBRA and STAM, the authors’ ‘Designing in the Dark’, an intensive programme involving ‘external’ disabling and enabling end-users as accessibility experts, is an important means of exposing designers to the impact of their design attitude. Rethinking educational strategies and tools with inclusion of the ‘end-user’ not only as a sounding board but also as a trainer at an early stage of any design process is not only considered among experts in the field as a major breakthrough in architectural education but makes the Universal Design paradigm highly appealing among students of architecture.

ISBN:978-4-9903720-3-3

Publication year:2010