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| | | | | | | Good news for those who find going up and down steps a challenge.
The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) is looking at measures to make all buildings in Singapore barrier-free.
For a start, it is setting its sights on buildings in Orchard Road, Bras Basah and Shenton Way.
It plans to get the buildings there upgraded in five years.
The importance of barrier-free accessibility in the built environment was stressed by National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan to architects, building owners and developers at a seminar on Monday.
Mr Mah said: "Barrier-free accessibility in the built environment has become increasingly important. Adopting barrier-free accessibility and universal design should not be an after-thought, but a first principle of development to create a quality built environment."
To facilitate that, the BCA is considering introducing two interim measures.
Mr Mah said: "For new buildings, BCA will require Qualified Persons to submit an 'accessible route plan' to demonstrate how a new building can be accessed by persons with mobility difficulties from neighbouring buildings and public facilities. Second, new residential developments will have to provide at least one accessible bathroom in each home unit."
He said that currently, slightly less than one in 10 of Singapore's residents is 65 years of age or older.
This proportion is expected to jump to one in five by the year 2030.
At present, buildings built before 1990 generally do not provide elder-friendly features and barrier-free accessibility.
The National Development Ministry will also be amending the Building Control Act to explicitly require building owners to comply with the barrier-free accessibility code throughout the operating lifespan of the building.
But architects feel legislation could only achieve so much.
Rita Soh, President of the Singapore Institute of Architects, said: "The mindset has to come from many folds - from the building owners, the developers who must be prepared to provide for these facilities, and of course the architects should then design this not as pure or mere compliance of the code, but really embody it into the their design concepts."
A universal design guide for commercial buildings was also released at Monday's seminar.
These designs, incorporated in the home, will cater to the needs of all users.
Owners and developers of buildings who embrace accessibility and design for all will be given recognition.
They might even win the inaugural BCA Universal Design Award next year!
Judy Anne Wee, who has been championing for a long time the rights of the physically-challenged to move about freely, welcomes the emphasis on barrier-free accessibility in buildings and their surroundings.
The Vice-President of the Handicaps Welfare Association said it is a step in the right direction.
She said: "It's difficult for us to enforce and encourage developers, tenants and facilities management to say that toilets for disabled should be used throughout their lifetime as toilets for people with disabilities. Many a time, we see them converted into storerooms, locked up for janitors' restrooms."
Buildings that are barrier-free will be listed on the BCA website (www.bca.gov.sg). - CNA/ir |
