In recent years, I’ve witnessed a notable shift in the architectural industry towards co-design and human-centered approaches, focusing on creating inclusive and accessible public spaces. The Cross River Rail project stands as a remarkable example of this transformation, where I had the privilege to collaborate closely with community members, including individuals with disabilities, to shape the accessibility of our station precincts. For many, catching the train to work or to an event like the Ekka takes lots of planning; planning to ensure that accessible modes of transport align, and that there will be accessible facilities available. Throughout this article, I will share five key takeaways from the Cross River Rail co-design process, each contributing to the realisation of a more accessible and equitable public transport infrastructure.
Co-design = Human-Centered Design:
The foundation of the Cross River Rail design was built on human-centered design principles, focusing on understanding communities and people, to improve lives and experiences. Through the use of mock-ups and testing, we evaluated critical accessibility features such as braille and tactile signage, rubber platform gap fillers, and surface finishes for contrast and reflectivity. By engaging directly with individuals who have disabilities, we formed meaningful relationships and worked together to identify best practice outcomes that surpassed mere compliance with accessibility standards. This approach has been instrumental in crafting designs that are truly inclusive and responsive to the needs of all users.
The most inclusive outcomes are only possible when you know who you are designing for and start to understand their lived experiences. It is only then that we can work towards removing barriers and provide truly equitable design outcomes. Accessible and consistent public transport design is essential to the functioning of our society and communities. Making a trip to the supermarket, visiting friends, going to a concert, or even getting to the doctor can be cheaper, safer, and easier when we design beyond minimum standards.
Inclusive Communication:
The co-design journey has been a profound learning experience for me as a designer, leading me to rethink the way I communicate design concepts. To ensure inclusivity, my team and I had to reimagine our presentation formats, describing designs in detail as if there were no visualisations to refer to. This inclusive communication strategy involved using larger fonts and contrasting colours to accommodate people with low vision or colour blindness. To make the designs most accessible to our blind and low vision community members, we even ventured into tactile communication. We designed and printed 3D tactile models of our stations, enabling them to provide valuable feedback by tracing the models with their fingers. Collaborating with organisations like Braille House allowed us to incorporate braille language descriptions to further enhance inclusivity.
Industry Knowledge Sharing:
In promoting accessibility and inclusivity in architectural practices, it is vital to foster collaboration and knowledge sharing within the industry. By exchanging best practices, innovative design solutions, and lessons learned from various projects, we can continuously improve our practice and create more sustainable and inclusive designs. While co-design is instrumental in fostering inclusivity, we must also recognise that it places a significant burden on certain representatives and communities. To alleviate this pressure, I believe that leveraging innovative technology solutions, such as AI or VR Apps, could provide a means to capture knowledge and lived experiences. Moreover, this technology could offer ongoing financial support to those who contribute their valuable insights, promoting a collective and inclusive design approach.
Empowering People with Disabilities through Architecture:
Co-designing with individuals within our projects Accessibility Reference group, who rely on public transport with disabilities, has been an empowering experience. It has given them a voice in shaping the accessibility of future station precincts, directly impacting their lives. As architects, we have a critical role in removing barriers and fostering inclusivity through empathetic design solutions. Historically, architecture and the physical environment have been the source of disabling factors, and society, and not just architects, view disability with a sense of otherness and not of our own; therefore, usually without malice we do not design independent access opportunities to all buildings. However, by actively listening and collaborating with these individuals, we can transform their challenges into opportunities for positive change, promoting inclusivity for all.
Setting a New Benchmark:
Through regular feedback and collaboration with the Accessibility Reference Group, Cross River Rail has set a new benchmark for accessibility in public transport infrastructure. Engaging people with disabilities in co-designing infrastructure, especially ahead of major events like the 2032 Games, has the potential to leave a lasting legacy of accessibility and inclusion, shaping a more inclusive Queensland for the future. The involvement of the Accessibility Reference Group has resulted in significant wins, and the feedback from this group has been positive, with one of stating that “our stations designs are nationally significant and leading the nation”.
