Universal accessibility through design experience and participation in Tangamanga I Park, San Luis Potosí, Mexico

Abstract

Since 1970 significant progress has been made on the inclusion of people with disabilities (PWD) in public spaces, allowing them to lead an integrated life within the community and close to nature. Global environmental and social regulatory frameworks have adopted universal design as a foundation. While Mexican regulations also embrace it, barriers in the built and natural environments continue to challenge PWD’s equal access to public spaces. The main goal of this study is to identify and understand, through participatory design methods, the access levels to nature that the Tangamanga I Park offers to everyone, but specially to PWD. This article presents the research results and the participatory process evaluation undertaken in collaboration with a PWD organization and design students and academics. Within the collaboration, a workshop was held where individuals with diverse abilities identified inclusion challenges in Tangamanga I Park. Findings show that the park, located in San Luis Potosí and Mexico’s second-largest, presents multiple accessibility barriers for people with disabilities, particularly related to signage, infrastructure, and services. Visually impaired individuals expressed that the park is not prepared for them, and mothers of children with intellectual disabilities reported discrimination. This study highlights the importance of including PWD’s in enjoying green spaces, teaching inclusion in design fields, and valuing participatory processes to foster knowledge exchange.