Members of the Parson team recently attended an incredible presentation co-hosted by the City of Kansas City, MO, and  AIA-KC at the Kauffman Foundation. The subject was Enlightened Accessible Design, with a special emphasis on how Kansas City is changing its business practices in order to accommodate universal design strategies.  This subject was co-presented by Eric Bosch, AIA, City Architect for the City of Kansas City, MO, and Meg Conger, ADA Compliance Manager for the City of Kansas City, MO.

Accessible Door

“I am challenging the architects to provide the passion that we have inherited for sustainability and saving the world,” stated Eric Bosch, City Architect. “We need to put this same passion to designing buildings for all people, all of the time. The buildings should be a reflection of people and how they flow from space to space. The experiences that each of us receive from approaching a building should be personal, but we should all be allowed to travel the same path to get there,” concluded Eric Bosch.

So what is ‘Enlightened Accessible Design’ exactly?  Universal Design, Accessible Design, and Enlightened Accessible Design are the tools in the toolbox needed to move into an era when the needs of people with disabilities are specifically considered. These are the strategies needed to design products and environments that are usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design.

This is the future of design and Kansas City is aiming to be the most welcoming, accessible city in America. Stay tuned for more design greatness from Kansas City!