Applying the ADA

Designing for The 2010 Americans with Disabilities Act Standards for Accessible Design in Multiple Building Types

Marcela A. Rhoads

• Publisher: Wiley
• Year: 2013
• Print ISBN: 9781118027868
• eBook ISBN: 9781118415887
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Architecture
• Subtopic: Architecture Design

A guide to real-world applications of The 2010 Americans with Disabilities Act Standards for Accessible Design

Applying the ADA helps architects and developers understand better how the rules for eliminating barriers in the built environment apply to everyday life and how to best implement them in the design and construction of a broad variety of buildings and facilities.

By showing how The 2010 Americans with Disabilities Act Standards for Accessible Design have been applied in various contexts and building types, this extensively illustrated guide helps readers quickly understand the requirements of the standards and how to apply them to both new construction and renovation. Written by an architect who consults regularly on accessibility issues for design professionals, building owners, and facility managers, this user-friendly guide features 100 photos and 150 drawings that take the guesswork out of applying the standards to real-world projects. Building types covered include:

• Healthcare and senior living facilities and hospitals
• College and university facilities
• Elementary and high schools
• Hotels and other transient lodging facilities
• Amusement parks and play areas
• Historic preservation and remodels
• Retail and office spaces

Applying the ADA is an indispensable resource for architects, interior designers, owners, developers, and facility managers. It is also important reading for students of architecture and interior design.

1

General Guidelines

by Marcela Abadi Rhoads, AIA RAS

GENERAL GUIDELINES

The Americans with Disabilities Act design standards established guidelines to provide accessibility to commercial buildings and public accommodation facilities. The guidelines are general in nature, and even though they address most conditions, each facility is different. This chapter will address the general guidelines that affect the building types that you will find in the remainder of the book. Many of the figures shown in this book were taken directly from the 2010 ADA Standards. As such, their dimensions and nomenclature are shown exactly the way they are depicted in the Standards. The following figure shows the way the ADA delineates dimension and gives measurements.

Figure 104 Graphic Convention for Figures

BUILDING BLOCKS

A person with disabilities occupies a certain amount of space. The space is measured both in plan and in section. A person with different disabilities uses certain equipment for either mobility or wayfinding. A person in a wheelchair will require a certain amount of space, typically 30 inches x 48 inches of floor space (see Figure 1.1).

Figure 1.1: ADA Figure 305.3. Clear Floor Space Required [for wheelchairs]. The space required for a wheelchair is a minimum of 30 inches × 48 inches, and when required, it should have a slope of no greater than 2% in all directions.

If there are larger wheelchairs, such as power wheelchairs, Segways, and the like, they might even need more space. The ADA Standards are only the minimum requirements, and whenever there is an option to have more space, one should allow for that. Vertical clearances are also required, which allow for maneuvering (see Figure 1.2).

Figure 1.2a: This is a minimum width that a standard wheelchair will require.

Figure 1.2b: Vertical clearances take into consideration the wheelchair and the person using the wheelchair.

Wheelchairs are not the only type of mobility equipment that requires certain amount of space. Persons with limited mobility who use walkers and crutches, for example, and visually impaired people who use white canes or service animals will also require a certain amount of clear floor space (see Figure 1.3).

Figure 1.3: Crutches, walkers, and service animals will require different clearances. The minimum ADA requirements take into consideration these other devices.

The ADA has an entire chapter that specifically designates all the dimensions for the minimum amount of space that will be required for a person with disabilities to use and maneuver around the area. The clear floor dimensions provided in the chapter also work for the amount of space that a person with disabilities will require to turn around once he or she is inside the space. The chapter gives two types of turning clearances: a circle and a “T” (see Figures 1.4 and 1.5).

Figure 1.4: A 60-inch-diameter circle is the minimum amount of space that a wheelchair will require to make 180º turn.

Figure 1.5: “T” turn. When there is not enough room for a 60-inch-diameter circle, space for a “T” turn is allowed.

When designing a space for turning, keep in mind that a person in a wheelchair does not make a perfect circle when turning. He or she will probably need a space greater than 60 inches in diameter to turn. Also, the clearances on the floor must be clear from obstructions, as well as have a slope of 2% maximum in every direction of the space where for turning is to be completed.

The ADA also has guidelines for persons who are visually impaired, in order to protect them from hurting themselves with objects they cannot detect with their canes as they walk. These are called “protruding objects.” A wall-mounted object is considered a “protruding object” if it is mounted higher than 27 inches from the ground, it projects more than 4 inches from the mounting surface, and it is located along a circulation path (see Figure 1.6).

Figure 1.6: ADA figure 307.2. An object mounted higher than 27 inches from the ground or lower than 80 inches from the ground cannot be detected by a person who is visually impaired. A cane, which some visually impaired people use for wayfinding, can only detect objects mounted below 27 inches.

There is a misconception on what constitutes a “circulation path.” A circulation path is not an accessible route for a wheelchair. A circulation path is not the main hallway or corridor where people walk. A circulation path is any path of travel used by a pedestrian, including the path of travel inside and around any interior space. The path of travel that a person uses inside a restroom to find the plumbing fixtures is the circulation path. Because a person who is visually impaired cannot see a sign directing him to a “designated” circulation path, we must design all walls inside an interior space or exterior space without protruding objects. If, along the path of travel, there is a permanent object mounted lower than 27 inches or even mounted on the ground, this will be detectable by a person using a cane for wayfinding (see Figure 1.7).

Figure 1.7: This drinking fountain is not located along the main path of travel, but it is a protruding object because it is along a path of travel that a blind person would use.

The ADA not only discusses the clearances for knees, toes, and floor space, but it also gives recommendations and guidelines for the way elements operate. A person with limited dexterity, arthritis, or no use of the hands will have a hard time opening or closing elements or operating any type of mechanism unless it is built in accordance with the standards. An operating mechanism should be able to be used without tight grasping, pulling, or twisting of the wrist. Also the amount of force that is required to operate it should be no more than 5 lbs. (see Figure 1.8). These requirements are universal. They help not only those who are disabled but also others who may not be able to use their hands temporarily.

Figure 1.8: An accessible operable part should not require tight grasping or twisting of the wrist to use.

The operating mechanisms will also be required to be at certain heights. There are forward approaches and side approaches that have minimum requirements according to the ADA (see Figure 1.9).

Figure 1.9a and 1.9b: ADA Figures 308.2.1 and 308.3.1. Operating mechanisms are mounted for a forward or a side approach.

Sometimes the object that people are reaching for is over an obstruction. The obstruction could be a counter, an appliance, or even a doorway. There are reach range requirements provided for those conditions as well (see Figure 1.10).

Figure 1.10a: ADA Figure 308.2.2. Objects mounted over a counter are required to be mounted lower so that a person with a disability can reach and operate them.

Figure 1.10b: ADA Figure 308.3.2 shows the requirements for objects located so that people must reach sideways...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction
• chapter 1: General Guidelines
• Chapter 2: Retail and Mixed-Use Facilities
• Chapter 3: Primary Education
• Chapter 4: Secondary and PostSecondary Education
• Chapter 5: Hospitality
• Chapter 6: Healthcare and Senior Living Communities
• Chapter 7: Amusement Parks and Play Areas
• Chapter 8: Historic Preservation and Remodels
• Chapter 9: Residential Projects
• Chapter 10: Universal Design beyond the ADA
• Appendix A: Reference Tables
• Appendix B: Resources
• Index