DJ Academy of Design and British Council will jointly organise a two-day conference on “Universal Design” here on March 13 and 14 and as many as 150 participants are expected from different parts of the country and even abroad.

Sanjay Jayavarthanavelu, chairman of the governing council of the academy, told presspersons here on Tuesday that town planners, product designers, architects, social workers and students will take part.

The objective is to sensitise the participants and the public to the need for inclusive design in public infrastructure and products.

A couple of speakers from the U.K. will also participate. There are countries that have norms, insisting on inclusive design in public places.

Awareness and the need for such design needs to improve here.

At the end of the two-day event, a resolution will be adopted and it will be sent to design institutes, Corporates and policy makers. DJ Academy plans to organise the event regularly.

Explaining the concept of universal design, Mr. Jayavarthanavelu said transport systems such as buses and facilities such as elevators need to be designed in such a way that it can be used as a common facility by those with disabilities and the public.

The requirements of the elderly and those with disabilities need to be addressed in the common infrastructure.

The demand for such designing is high in the country and the awareness should go up.

The event will also have sessions on the principles of universal design in products and an expo on products designed by the students of the academy.

DJ Academy has undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in design, he said.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Coimbatore / by Special Correspondent / Coimbatore – March 11th, 2015