Cover of Disability, Space, Architecture edited by Jos Boys

2015
Including Architecture
Spinozist model of inclusive creativity

White, S. Including Architecture?
Chapter: In Architectural Design and Disability: A Critical Reader. Editors: Boys, J. Routledge. London 22 Feb 2017

Collected alongside world-leading disability scholars Rob Imrie and Jos Boys, this chapter sets out the key theoretical basis of research into a ‘capability’ model of spatial inclusion that underpins cutting-edge Age Friendly Neighbourhood community-engaged design-research, which in turn contributed to Greater Manchester becoming Europe’s first Age Friendly City Region. Articulation of the connection between global approaches to inclusion proposed by Nussbaum and Sen in terms of ‘Capabilities’ and designing for disability are original and have been presented to academic gerontological audiences at the British Society of Geronotology as well as in design and practitioner contexts.

The work in this book is at the cutting edge of both theoretical and pedagogic practice in the area of spatial inclusion and architecture. The theoretical principles set out in the chapter have been developed from extensive theoretical and practice work. It builds on aspects of an RIBA Presidents Medal nominated PhD (2014) and extensive work in the field over a decade. The chapter provides a focus on the theoretical principles of spatial inclusion related to design and disability for a post-graduate architectural audience and urban inclusivity practitioners. The ‘capability’ model of design outlined in this chapter is the underpinning methodological approach to professional research contribution to the inclusion components of the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework working for the GMCA Ageing Hub.