Considering sites for Marlboro Township's Living Memorial. Photo: Lindsay Campbell
Accessibility and Ease of Use

The design of the Living Memorial should provide easy and safe access. This applies not only to mobility through the Living Memorial, but also to use and enjoyment within. Spaces must be easy to enter, move through and exit, have surfaces and gradients that allow safe and free movement, and be barrier free.

These considerations must be coordinated with the specific requirements of governing safety codes and regulations. These regulations establish minimal standards and should be considered the starting point, not the end, from which to further enhance the Living Memorial’s convenience and enjoyment for all participants.

It is worth noting here that steps taken to accommodate physically-disabled or -challenged visitors will make the site more easily accessible and comfortable for others as well. For instance, individuals who are recovering from severe trauma or loss may perceive a space as overly-confining (or, conversely, overly-exposed). Use of strong images or symbols may trigger unpleasant memories -- even overwhelming grief. Abrupt changes from shaded to sunny areas may hinder the desire to move about --or the lighting of a landscape feature may cast threatening shadows. These perceived obstacles are just as important as a change in elevation to a wheelchair-bound individual, and should be weighed accordingly in the design.

Accessibility
Ramps and Steps
Handrails
Paths
Surface Materials
Orientation
Obstacles and Safety
Installation and Maintenance

Ease of Use
Seating
Proximity and Access
Privacy and Enclosure
Shelter and Shade
Design and Materials

Accessibility: Access should accommodate a range of changing needs and abilities while also providing convenience, flexibility and opportunity.

Ramps and Steps:
Changes in grade present a physical challenge and potential psychological barriers to access. Addressing transitions between elevation changes is an integral element of site design. Users should have a convenient choice of either ramp or step, depending upon capabilities. Ramp gradients and lengths should be considered together, creating as comfortable a physical effort as possible with clear, level areas at the top and bottom. Longer, low-gradient ramps are not necessarily easier to handle. A slope or gradient of 5% (1 foot vertical change for every 20 horizontal feet) is preferred for most situations. Longer ramps need level resting areas perhaps with a seat for those accompanying or pushing a wheelchair. Ramp detailing should also incorporate a low side curb that acts as a wheel stop and guide for walkers and canes. Detailing for ramps and steps should include:
  • A textured surface on both approaches to alert the visually impaired of a grade change.
  • A slight cross-pitch to shed water.
  • Sufficient lighting for even coverage over the entire ramp surface; lighting should be directed at step risers to avoid shadows on step treads.
  • Paving materials that provide a firm, non-slip and non-glare surface.
  • Handrails that are smooth and easy to grip, positioned at heights for standing or wheelchairs.
Steps need to be clearly visible and easily interpreted. As with ramps, minimize the amount of physical effort required. The relationship of tread and riser greatly affects comfort and ease of use. A broad tread and shallow riser is preferred in most situations. Always maintain consistency in a series of steps and always avoid a single step situation. Ramping steps should be avoided. Step nosings should be clearly identified by contrasting materials, textures or color.

Handrails:
Handrails should be considered wherever extra support might be needed - not only on steps and ramps, but also for changes in levels. Continuous handrails on both sides might be considered to accommodate those with impaired use of one side. Handrails should be comfortable to grasp and easily discernible. Consider materials other than metal, which can become uncomfortable when cold or hot, or slippery when wet. Keep handrails clear from plant material and avoid abrasive adjacent wall surfaces. Consider detailing the ends of handrails to round off or return to avoid a protrusion. Handrails can also be used to convey information. For example, Braille insets might be incorporated in the handrail design.

Paths:
Paths need to accommodate a range of physical conditions including poor or limited mobility and sight. Their layout and design should allow and encourage participants to move safely and independently throughout the space. Consider a variety of path widths, allowing on main routes sufficient room for two wheelchairs to pass. On other routes allow room for a wheelchair and a pedestrian to pass. Resting points along paths should be ample in size and out of the way of circulation to allow for easy access around small gatherings.

Paths help define spaces, establishing coherence, identity and orientation. Consider walking speeds, layout, spatial design and plant materials to create a sequence of variety and interest to various destinations. A variety of routes with clear destinations and returns, or way finding, and ample resting points along the way provides participants with security, comfort and choice according to their ability and preferences. The careful use of signage incorporated into the design can enrich the visitor’s experience and provide guidance and direction as needed.

Surface Materials:
Surface pavings must ensure safety and comfortable use for all visitors. Maintain high standard in installation and maintenance, avoiding settlement, frost heaving or lifting. Monolithic (poured in place) and modular pavements offer a huge range of materials, colors, patterns and textures to enhance the design. Materials should be:
  • Firm & LevelSurfaces need to be stable and provide an even, smooth surface. Avoid surfaces with chamfered or uneven edges or which can settle, heave or rock over time. Loose materials, such as rounded stones or pebbles, are unsuitable for wheelchair users and semi-ambulant pedestrians because they provide an uneven and shifting surface. They can also be tracked onto adjacent hard surfaces creating a hazardous condition. With proper installation, self-binding gravel and a variety of stabilized soil materials can provide a firm surface with minimal tracking of material. Consider them on minor, informal paths for visual interest and for the quality of sound when walked upon. Bark may also be used in specific situations with careful selection of material size.
  • Slip-resistant & non-glare Textured finishes provide a stable surface for ambulant participants. Select a limited range of small aggregate sizes for a smooth, even surface to insure the aggregates provide footing against wet and slippery conditions. Consider materials with a low light-reflective quality to minimize the potential hazard of sun glare. This applies to pavings, ramps and steps and vertical surfaces such as buildings and retaining walls.
Orientation:
Careful use of materials can provide non-verbal information for the user, such as directions, and warnings of changing conditions. For example, textural changes, such as a rougher surface on pavement edges, and color “coding” can assist in way-finding. Vertical path edgings can help provide direction and prevent walkers and wheelchairs from rolling into adjacent areas. Textured strips, flush with surrounding pavements, can be located to indicate junctions and warn of potential hazards, such as vehicular traffic. Consistent use of unwritten/non-verbal information throughout the site is necessary; otherwise, users will potentially be confused and disoriented.

Obstacles and Safety:
Potential obstructions must be clearly visible. Even drainage grating and structures can pose a potential hazard. Grate frames and structures should be flush with surrounding surfaces. Gratings should be carefully selected: grid gratings (with max. 1/4” openings) provide the most secure surface for canes, crutches or wheelchairs; if bar grates are used, they need to have narrow openings and be aligned at right angles to the direction of travel. Plant selections and their location influence the condition and safety of paths as well, including thorny or encroaching plants, slippery leaves, nuts or berries, and surface roots which disturb and heave path surfaces.

Installation and Maintenance:
Long-term maintenance needs are greatly influenced by early design decisions in layout and grading, details, material selection, and installation. Consider these carefully, particularly with costly items such as pavements. Installation must insure proper subsurface conditions to avoid settlement and lifting. It must also insure proper surface conditions and slopes to avoid water collecting or ponding. Monolithic pavements require expansion joints, which must remain flush and secure. Modular pavements must provide a smooth, even surface without lifting corners or edges.

Regular maintenance is essential and requires on-going observations and an attention to detail to maintain surfaces, keep drainage structures, ramps and steps clear of debris, repair damages, secure loose pavements and railings, and to clear ice and snow.

Ease of Use:The garden must do more than simply accommodate varied interests, abilities and needs; it must also provide for these with convenience, flexibility and maximum comfort.

Seating:
Comfortable, accessible, well-sited seating is essential to ensure the Living Memorial is fully enjoyed. Seating locations should be an integral part of the design, taking advantage of various interests and offering a variety of views, opportunities for socializing or privacy, shelter and shade. Consider the following in their location and siting:
  • Proximity & Access Seating must be clearly visible, easily accessible, and at frequent intervals. Locate seating near entrances to welcome the visitor and provide a sequence of resting points to other seating areas beyond. The surrounding surface should be level and firm with no step or grade change, preferably on a hard surface. Textured differences in pavement can announce seating areas.
  • Privacy & Enclosure Seating locations should provide degrees of enclosure to accommodate a range of interests and needs, including quiet privacy, activity and security. Consider areas in seclusion, with expansive or focused views, passive and active scenes, and with a clear view of entries. Provide a variety of arrangements for individual or group use and allow sufficient room for wheelchairs to comfortably maneuver alongside seating.
  • Shelter & Shade Provide a variety of canopied settings, from open sun to dappled and complete shade. Consider consistency and the changing seasonal qualities of plants, such as trees and vine-covered trellises in providing shade. Provide adequate protection from winds, filtering breezes with temporary and permanent screens, vine-covered lattice, trees and shrubs.
  • Design & Materials Seating designs need to accommodate a range of abilities and physical stature. Consider seating with a variety of heights and depth. This is difficult with most standardized furniture on the market, but it can be achieved with custom built-in seating in structures, retaining walls and raised planters. Benches should have backrests and arm rests for support and comfort. Armrests within benches, between each seat, should be considered in some locations for added assistance when getting in or out. Permanent furniture can provide added safety and security by being anchored to the ground. Temporary furniture, usually lighter in weight, provides flexibility by being moved and positioned as desired. Furniture remaining outdoors should be a durable material with minimal maintenance needs and possibly stackable for storage. Avoid materials which retain heat or which are high-glare. All outdoor furniture must be stable and secure to handle the sudden need for added support.