The Core Parameters of Barrier-Free Surface Design: Accessibility and Navigability with Natural Stone
reading time – 8 min
Barrier free outdoor spaces are fundamentally about one thing: routes must be easy, safe and free from unnecessary obstacles. This applies to wheelchairs as well as pushchairs, bicycles, skateboards and everyday walking in later life. What matters most is a calm surface, a precise joint pattern and a design that supports movement in an intuitive way.
As part of our series on accessibility, this article looks at the technical parameters that allow designers to specifically improve the walkability and rollability of natural stone surfaces. Even the direction of the paving pattern can have a decisive impact on how comfortable a public space feels for users of mobility aids, pushchairs or other wheeled movement systems. When natural stone paving is laid in the direction of movement, rolling resistance is noticeably reduced. At the same time, impact from crossing joints is significantly minimised.
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As part of our series on accessibility, this article looks at the technical parameters that allow designers to specifically improve the walkability and rollability of natural stone surfaces. Even the direction of the paving pattern can have a decisive impact on how comfortable a public space feels for users of mobility aids, pushchairs or other wheeled movement systems. When natural stone paving is laid in the direction of movement, rolling resistance is noticeably reduced. At the same time, impact from crossing joints is significantly minimised.
