Awards as Tools to Implement Inclusion and Accessibility in the Built Environment

Abstract

Europe is now an essentially urban society, with four out of five EU citizens living in towns and cities. Retaining the pleasure of city living, as cities become ever more congested, is a challenge for all. This is especially the case for persons with disabilities, older people, and those with reduced mobility or other types of temporary impairments. These groups are at risk of not being allowed to enjoy significant parts of city life, and being isolated from society. Limiting a city’s access to just a part of the population while ignoring a significant other part, is economically, socially and politically unsustainable. For all persons to enjoy their human rights, allowing access to the conditions necessary to enjoy a full life is imperative. Some awards can be powerful tools to promote accessibility in the built environment, such as the Access City Award, the Accessible Airport Awards, the UIA Friendly and Inclusive Spaces Award. In this article, the authors describe the main selection criteria and procedures.