Beckman Institute, in collaboration with Disability Resources and Educational Services, has launched a design studio that “supports interdisciplinary design research centered around the lived experiences of people with disabilities.”
The studio is led by Deana McDonagh, the chair of Graphic Design in the School of Art and Design in the College of Fine and Applied Arts, and Adam Bleakney, a research affiliate in Beckman and DRES. Bleakley is also the head coach of the U of I men and women’s wheelchair track and road-racing team and coach for the U.S. Paralympic Team.
The new space is meant to be a “sister space” to the Human Performance and Mobility Maker Lab, where Bleakley and his team develop assistive tools and technologies. The (dis)Ability Design Studio will be for brainstorming and interdisciplinary research that is specifically designed as an accessible and inclusive space. From the news release:
In designing the studio, McDonagh drew inspiration from the natural world. Soft lighting — a relief from the aesthetic harshness of a typical lab or classroom — is remotely controllable from anywhere in the room. Birdsong helps a cuckoo clock tell time visually and aurally. Minimal furnishings and open space increase ease of navigation for people who use wheelchairs…Food and water bowls await service animals, canines or otherwise, who find themselves in the studio.
You can read more about the new endeavor at the Beckman Institute website.
Top photo from Beckman Institute.