More than just a project

5 years old me and my father just before our first motorboat trip.

Much later in life, I understood that these kind of experiences are limited for non-disabled individuals, and that is just not fair. I believe in creating spaces promoting participation of all individuals, regardless of the level of mobility.

Mapping out patterns and study of functional features to create accessibility guidelines for small boats 🛥️

Info:

BA thesis in Basics of Naval Architecture, 2018, 20 weeks, Academy of Fine Arts in Gdansk, PL

Introduction:

This is a study of functional features of small boats’ space availability. There is lack of spatial standards for small boats and no consideration for the needs of people using wheelchairs.

More about the process:

Full case study

Challenges :

1) to analyze and verify the adequacy of existing spatial standards
2) to find and explore functional features
3) to propose new minimal parameters for inclusive practices

Tool for designers 🪛

Study can be used by boat designers to support the design process

Niche in the industry 💎

Limited options combining accessible features and non-stigmatizing aesthetics

Challenging the standards 🤔

No spatial standards for small boats addressing the needs of people with disability!

“What is truly important is to be able to take my family on a boat”

At the time, I did not know that I’m opening up a relatively unexplored area that still needs an urgent, continuous improvement - I needed to learn first, that accessibility is not a given and it has to be advocated for. Similarly to ADA act in US. And ADA changed how we build the world.

Therefore I was not aware, at least at the beginning of this project, that there are no spatial norms dedicated for small boats and in case of bigger ones, the architectural standards are applied which didn’t seem specific enough. I had a feeling that if explored in detail, we can find a new set of patterns and good practices.

Especially, after reading Christopher Alexander’s - A pattern language - I was certain that world of naval architecture and accessibility combined together can be a great design challenge.

This thesis project was a starting point of my passion for accessibility (still going strong today, in 2022)

CONTEXT

Experts

There are various degrees of disability - still, a lot of people with limited mobility would be able to go for such a boat.

Activists from non-profit organization making beaches accessible for wheelchairs

Entering a vehicle is a relevant thing for wheelchair users. It is always the most important part — not just for the boats.

Sailor’s + wheelchair users

Sitting in one position for a long time is unhealthy, I need to switch, however it can be tricky on a boat in relatively unstable environment.

I needed to find consultant for this project, a knowledge pool to lead me through the meanders of accessibility which was not easy to relate to at first.

Eventually, I understood that the line has to be drawn at some point, and I can’t possibly address all the needs, of every wheelchair user, in all situations and contexts. The decision to narrow the user group down to only those abled to drive efficiently has solidified.

USERS

It was the time to try it for myself - using a wheelchair in different scenarios enriched my experience and gave me an insight into how wheelchair users are moving around on a daily basis. I definitely recommend it to city planners and anyone involved in the infrastructure decision making processes.

EXPERIMENTS + ERGO STUDY

Research through Experiments 🧪

  • Establishing general dimensions

  • Simulating physical obstacles such as furniture

  • Mapping the traces of wheelchair on the cockpit

  • Testing flow of passengers in critical scenarios

Keep the passage and avoid inaccessible areas at all costs

Everyone benefits from the presence of handrails and handles

Create a space for full rotation and other areas for turning back

Put furniture on pillars - it can drastically improve efficiency of movement on board

Areas for storing the wheelchair should be close at hand

Navigation console should be adjustable vertically and horizontally

PATTERNS

Gdynia Design Days
Honourable mention - 07.2019

The project was awarded for three reasons:

  1. The author sees a niche in the yacht industry - no spatial standards for small boats, disregarding the needs of people on wheelchairs - and finds an answer for that.

  2. The developed solution focuses on the analysis and delivery of a study that can be used by designers. By sharing their work with other designers, the author can contribute to the development of universal design in a chosen industry.

  3. Taking up the subject of universal design, accessibility and emotions associated with it. The author proposes in her project the minimum parameters, thanks to which a user with a motor disability can independently control the boat.

3 students, 3 semester projects,
Basics of Naval Architecture / 2019

I was honoured to have my diploma thesis used as a semester project for master students. It was a part of the project when solutions took shape and underwent testing and evaluation as a design tool. Students conducted a critic of my recent work and created 3 supplements that complement the diploma thesis and opened the study for further reflections.

Thank you!