The Auckland Design Manual has introduced a new tool to help architects and designers cater for people of all physical abilities and stages of life when they are designing buildings and public spaces.

The Universal Design Tool is part of Auckland Council’s Auckland Design Manual website. The tool is a free online resource providing best-practice design guidance with diagrams, examples and checklists to inspire universal design, with more than 80 per cent of the examples from around the Auckland region.

Universal Design is about designing for human diversity, and making buildings and public spaces user-friendly and enjoyable for the widest range of people and abilities.

All people will have some kind of ‘universal design’ moment in their lives, where they find themselves potentially disadvantaged by their environment. It could be temporary, such as pregnancy or a broken limb; permanent, such as an ongoing disability; or something we all experience, like early childhood and growing old.

No one likes to be singled out as being different, and a universal design approach encourages people to design more cleverly, and implement design solutions that work for everyone. Putting people at the centre of urban design | OurAuckland