BARRIER FREE DESIGN-CASE STUDY

SUBMITTED BY : VISHAV KHULLAR ROHITH. A SAHIL LALLA NIKITA SINGHAL SANYA MALIK

BARRIER FREE ENVIRONMENT

WHY IS IT NEEDED ?
For many city-dwellers, today's modern cities and towns may be convenient and fascinating places for working and living, offering a great variety of opportunities and experiences. But for disabled persons, such built environments are full of uncertainties, anxieties and dangers. Disabled persons encounter many obstacles that prevent them from moving about freely and safely. For wheelchair users, steps and stairways are obstacles. Blind people are endangered by the absence of directional and safety features that they can hear and touch. Many disabled persons live in poverty and need education and training, but these are often located in places where access is difficult for them. In addition, most community centres, parks and places of worship have not been designed to welcome users with disabilities. Public transport systems, too, are not user-friendly to persons with disabilities. Fortunately, awareness is growing that society is also penalized when disabled persons are prevented by an unfriendly environment from realizing their full potential. Societies incur hidden costs when their members, including those with disabilities, suffer from stress, fatigue and accidents.

CASE STUDY QUTUB MINAR

Qutub Minar (English: The Qutub Tower; Urdu : , )also known as Qutb Minar and Qutab Minar, is the tallest minaret in India, originally an ancient Islamic Monument, inscribed with Arabic inscriptions, though the iron pillar has some bhramini inscriptions, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Located in Delhi, the Qutub Minar is made of red sandstone and marble. The tower has 379 stairs,is 72.5 metres (237.8 ft) high, and has a base diameter of 14.3 metres, which narrows to 2.7 metres at the top storey. Construction was started in 1192 by Qutub-ud-din Aibak and was completed by Iltutmish. It is surrounded by several other ancient and medieval structures and ruins, collectively known as the Qutub complex.Tradition assigns the erection of the pillar to Anang Pal, whose name it bears, with the date 1052 C.E.

WHY MONUMENT COMPLEXES NEED TO BE BARRIER FREE ?

With the number of footfall that takes place at such sites , the complexes shall be user friendly. With the numbers of users varying in gender , physical abilities , arrangements shall be made accordingly so that if a user enters and he or she is not physically or mentally well ,they can still put up a picture of the magnificent monument and enjoy the complex the same way a normal user would. Taking in account the ramps they need .the sanitation requirements, easy movement inside the complex and other facilities. The Qutub Minar complex has its own set of ramps and bridges connecting the whole site at all the important points like the tomb, pillars etc.

QUTUB COMPLEX -MAP

ENTRANCE TO THE COMPLEX

The entrance to the complex has a barrier free touch to it . A small ramp with a slope of more than 1 :12 this ramp served the people with disabilities as well as with no disabilities. With a handrail in the centre to provide support for the users with disabilities like blindness, crippled users. Approx 15 to 20 meters wide , this entry spot serves its function quite well. The first level difference of +450 as soon as one enters the site has been taken care of with the help of a ramp with is right next to the steps to facilitate easy movement .

OTHER RAMPS INSIDE THE COMPLEX

RAMP CONNECTINGTHE IRON PILLAR TO ALAI MINAR

RAMP CONNECTING THE GROUND TO THE TOMB OF ILTUTMISH

BRIDGE BETWEEN KHILJIS TOMB AND THE RAMP AT THE OTHER SIDE

SPECIAL BARRIER FREE POVISIONS INSIDE THE COMPLEX

With all the basic necessities required by a handicapped person being met inside the complex , the Qutub Minar complex can be classified as barrier free. Basic facilities like sanitation requirements , ticketing requirements, appropriate signages, as well as the connectivity provided by ramps and bridges throughout the complex gives a very smooth flow of movement for all kinds of users.