Books: ‘Design Meets Disability’
March 16th, 2009
From the Boston Globe:
In his new book, “Design Meets Disability,” Graham Pullin makes the case that better design for people with disabilities could pay off in unexpected ways, benefiting both users and the broader society.
He wishes the design world would embrace disability, using it as a way to open up new ways of thinking about universal design — not just better accessibility.
For too long, Pullin says, the medical and design worlds have been strangers, and Exhibit A for their potential together is undeniably compelling: The iconic, curved-wood furniture of American midcentury designers Charles and Ray Eames, which evolved directly from their design of a leg splint for wounded service members in WWII.
Since then, Pullin says, bold examples of design for disability have been too few and far between. His book highlights many that do exist, from watches that can be read by touch and vibration to a pair of gorgeously intricate, hand-carved wooden legs worn by fashion model and double amputee Aimee Mullins.
Pullin is a lecturer in interactive media design at the University of Dundee in Scotland. He trained as a medical engineer.
Related post here.
(Boston Globe photo)
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