Course detail

Accessible Architecture

FA-ARB-KEAcad. year: 2025/2026

The course consists of seminars where students will familiarize themselves with the issue of designing public spaces for the persons with limited capability of movement and orientation. They will work out a semestral work in the form of analysis and adaptation of a selected public space in exterior or interior. The course is coordinated with the specialists on accessible architecture.
In the study programmes “Architecture and Urban Design” the course is part of the technical courses.

Language of instruction

English

Number of ECTS credits

3

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Guarantor

Ing. arch. Jan Foretník, Ph.D.

Department

Department of Spatial Design (UPT)

Offered to foreign students

The home faculty only

Entry knowledge

Not applicable.

Rules for evaluation and completion of the course

Evaluation consists of submitted semestral work and its presentation.
80 % of attendance is compulsory. Students must develop, consult and submit a semestral work.
In the case of a student's apology and with approval of the subject guarantor, personal attendance may be substituted with online attendance in the classes.

Aims

Students will learn about the needs of the persons with limited capability of movement and orientation in public space.

Study aids

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Not applicable.

Basic literature

HAMRAIE, Aimi. Building Access: Universal Design and the Politics of Disability. University of Minnesota Press, 2017. ISBN: 9781517901646. (EN)
MEUSER, Philipp. Accessible Architecture. Dom Publ, 2012. ISBN: 9783869221700. (EN)
WHITE, Robert W. Designing a Visible City for Visually Impaired Users: Breaking the Barriers of Disabling Architecture. University of Strathclyde, 2010. (EN)

Recommended reading

MELCHER, Emily. Architecture Without Sight. University of Detroit Mercy, 2019. (EN)
WICKMAN, Ron. Accessible Architecture—Beyond the Ramp. Gemma B. Publishing, 2020. (EN)

Elearning

eLearning: currently opened course

Classification of course in study plans

  • Programme NE_A+U Master's

    specialization --- (2023) , 1 year of study, winter semester, compulsory-optional
    specialization --- (2023) , 2 year of study, winter semester, compulsory-optional

  • Programme B_A+U Bachelor's

    specialization --- (do 2022) , 3 year of study, winter semester, elective
    specialization --- (do 2022) , 4 year of study, winter semester, elective

  • Programme BE_A+U Bachelor's 3 year of study, winter semester, elective

  • Programme N_A+U Master's

    specialization --- (do 2022) , 1 year of study, winter semester, compulsory-optional
    specialization --- (do 2022) , 2 year of study, winter semester, compulsory-optional

  • Programme NE_A+U Master's 1 year of study, winter semester, elective
  • Programme B_A+U Bachelor's 3 year of study, winter semester, elective

  • Programme NE_A+U Master's

    specialization --- , 1 year of study, winter semester, compulsory-optional

Type of course unit

 

Lecture

4 hours, optionally

Teacher / Lecturer

Ing. arch. Jan Foretník, Ph.D.

Syllabus

  • introduction to the course
  • accessibility requirements for people with limited mobility including legislative requirements
  • accessibility requirements for the blind and visually impaired including legislative requirements

Seminar

14 hours, compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

Ing. arch. Jan Foretník, Ph.D.

Syllabus

  • audit processing methodology
  • ongoing consultations of audit and design part

Field trip

8 hours, compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

Ing. arch. Jan Foretník, Ph.D.

Syllabus

  • practicals on a wheelchair
  • practical exercises with a white cane
  • practical exercises of self-care

Individual preparation - preparing a written work

40 hours, optionally

Teacher / Lecturer

Ing. arch. Jan Foretník, Ph.D.

Syllabus

preparation of an accessibility audit of a selected public space or building in the scope of one to two author's sheets, including mapping of the space (group work)

Individual preparation - working on the assigned tasks

9 hours, optionally

Teacher / Lecturer

Ing. arch. Jan Foretník, Ph.D.

Syllabus

developing a simple design proposal that solves one selected problem identified by the audit (group work)

Individual preparation - creating a presentation

3 hours, optionally

Teacher / Lecturer

Ing. arch. Jan Foretník, Ph.D.

Syllabus

preparation of the audit presentation and the design part

Elearning

eLearning: currently opened course