Design For Dignity
Retail Guidelines

Designing for dignity

Isn't compliance good enough?

Since 2011 The Building Code of Australia (BCA) incorporates most of the provisions of the Federal Disability (Access to Premises-Buildings) Standard 2010.

This means that complying with the minimum requirements of the Building Code provides protection from Disability Discrimination complaints in regards to compliant design.

So, is the minimum standard good enough?

Minimum standard customer experience

It is rare in business or design that organisations set out with “minimum standard” customer experience in mind. Designing to minimum accessibility standards is saying that this group of customers doesn't deserve the same degree of thought, innovation and insight that is invested in other customers. Designing for dignified access gives a better customer experience by truly understanding and including more people.

Aren't Australian Standards best practice?

The main Australian Standard AS1428.1 Design for access and mobility: General requirements for access — New building work (AS1428.1) is designed to allow general use of buildings and facilities by people with disability. It does however have some limitations:

• Australian Standards are a negotiated outcome between advocacy groups and industry experts. They seek to deliver practical guidance to designers, builders and certifiers, but are designed explicitly as minimum requirements which, if met, are ‘deemed-to-satisfy’ the intent of the BCA goals for ‘safe, dignified and equitable access’.
• They are based on data representing people aged between 18 and 60 years. With an ageing and engaged population, designers need to think beyond compliance to capture older people with a greater likelihood of disability.
• The majority of measurements in the most critical areas are based on data from 1983.
• The dimensions of wheelchair and user contemplated by the standard represent 80% of users (90% in critical access areas). Whilst materials in wheelchair design have become lighter, many new electric wheelchairs are larger (also reflecting that individuals are weighing more).
• Motorised scooters are not included in the requirements at all. Motorised scooters require a much larger turning circle than manual scooters and cannot turn within the space allowed within Australian Standards.

Exposure

While old business premises don't need to be fixed retrospectively (unless being renovated), The Disability Discrimination Act (1992) requires that people with disability have equal access to premises as well as goods and services. This exposes organisations to the risk of breaching the act, but relies on individuals lodging complaints with the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC).

“Refurbishment of small-scale retail units is an opportunity of addressing the issue of better or inclusive access. The success of this process can result in successful implementations of DDA regulations.”^{*Dever, E., Sertysesilisik, B. and Rostron, J.,2009, The refurbishment of small-scale retail premises in relation to the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, Journal or Retail and Leisure Property,}