Disabled User’s Preference Investigation of Konya Karatay City Park According to the Universal Design Criteria (UDC)

Abstract

The importance of concepts such as universal design, accessibility, and unimpeded life is increasing as the number of disabled people within the society increases over the years and as the effects of being disabled become more prominent. As these concepts have become widespread throughout the world, architects and designers have also focused on projects that facilitate the life of individuals with disabilities in their designs, and they have created designs from the inside of life by incorporating the rapid development of technology into the process. The universal design aims to eliminate the obstacles faced by individuals with basic disabilities and to ensure the use of designs together with non-disabled individuals. The universal design criteria revealed in this direction are the main factors that make up the study subject. Within the scope of the study, determination of the suitability of Konya Karatay City Park for the access by disabled users and the concept of unimpeded life (Universal Design) was aimed. Social areas, transportation systems, and recreation areas, which provide services to users within the park, were examined onsite according to their functions by quantifying them in the context of the universal design criteria. As a result of the study, it was determined that the park did not meet the universal design criteria (UDC) in terms of transportation and circulation; also, the uses of social and recreation areas were observed not to comply with the universal design criteria. According to the disabled user's preferences, solutions related to these subjects were proposed.