Listen to more podcast episodes from ARCHITECT here.
After Congress passed the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990, all new construction and renovation projects had to comply with the ADA Standards for Accessible Design. Still, Karen Braitmayer, FAIA, believes accessibility remains more an afterthought in architecture rather than an integral component of good design. Braitmayer, the founder and managing principal of Seattle-based Studio Pacifica and a lifelong wheelchair user, has an idea for increasing awareness: Encourage more people with disabilities to pursue a career in architecture.
In this podcast episode, Braitmayer describes the roadblocks often faced by people with disabilities interested in architecture. At some point in life, she adds, many people will be affected by a disability, whether it be themselves or someone they know, such as their parents, partners, or colleagues.
Braitmayer is the 2019 recipient of AIA’s Whitney M. Young Jr. Award, as well as a presidential appointee to the U.S. Access Board, a federal agency that promotes equality for people with disabilities. In her July 2019 opinion piece for ARCHITECT titled “Yes, People With Disabilities As Architects,” Braitmayer challenges designers to “shift our professional culture to provide significant outreach, accommodation, scholarships, and career support to prospective architects with different abilities.”
Episode 40: The Need for Architecture That Enables, Not Disables, featuring Karen Braitmayer, is also available on SoundCloud, iTunes, and GooglePlay.
This podcast episode was produced by Wanda Lau and Rob Grauert.
