Abstract:
The aim of this work is to document the process of research and creation of inclusive sensory panels located in the renovated playground in Briaglia (CU), Italy. The project saw the collaboration of Comune di Briaglia together with Ca’ Foscari University’s department of Linguistics and comparative cultural studies. The final version of the panels was defined, approved, printed and installed in the playground, which was opened to the citizenship in May 2019. The first chapter discusses children’s education, condition and rights throughout history, in the 20th century in particular. The notion of disability is then analysed with a focus on sensory disabilities such as deafness and blindness with a special attention to the path that leads to the recognition of the rights of people with disabilities. The work then tackles the importance of children’s play in natural environments and in green playground areas. Thanks to the changes in how disabilities are conceived, the movements of Universal Design and Design for All originated in the latest years of the 20th century. Their principles inspired architects to develop accessible buildings and objects and they can be employed in the planning of playgrounds too. The characteristics of an accessible and inclusive playground are then presented. A thorough outline of the project and the processes that led to the creation of the sensory panels are discussed.
