Universality challenge

The things most of us take for granted, such as boiling water, taking a walk in the park, personal hygiene and remembering everyday things were re-examined last week by five design consultancies.

The Design Business Association hosted the DBA Design Challenge 2001 at the Royal College of Art, where Alloy Total Product Design, BDG McColl Workplace, Imagination, Marketplace and SiebertHead competed for the first Inclusive Design Award for the best solution to an everyday problem. The Helen Hamlyn Research Centre at the RCA organised user groups with a range of disabilities to help the teams develop the prototypes by providing input based on personal experience.

Motivation Charitable Trust founding director David Constantine, RICAbility head David Yelding, head of Design for Ability at Central St Martins College of Art & Design Malcolm Johnson, Design House director Lavinia Culverhouse, professor of interaction design at the RCA Irene McAra-McWilliam and HHRC director Roger Coleman voted Imagination’s Inspiration Park the winner.

The project implemented practical solutions for all disabled people and provided a public space for all of society to enjoy all year round.