Inclusive Cities -Is the future so far ahead?
Do you think the city would look and feel differently if gender was a consideration for design? BBC 100 Women launched this short documentary about how Barcelona would need to evolve to become more inclusive.
They discovered 6 main challenges that the citizens, especially women, wanted but were not accounted for:
1) Increase Number of Female Toilets — due to the fact that women need seated stalls that take up more space, as well as that women take 3x as long and require more frequent visits with different stages of life and times of the month.
2) Playgrounds designs for both boys and girls — where not one form of play (i.e. football) is dominating the space for less use by girls.
3) Mobility & Transportation — Women make up the majority of public transit and walking commuters, although 60% of Barcelona is designed around cars.
4) Open Spaces — Creating pedestrianised spaces for play, community, relationships and leisure is a goal by creating the Superblock ‘Superilla’ where more women and community could gather.
5) Spaces to Sit & Rest — Not only a request for women but an inclusive design for the elderly, those that are breastfeeding or taking care of children, and physical disability.
6) Safety & Mapping Sexual Harassment — The city has supported putting up anti-macho stands at night-time economy areas, to promote positive masculinity, information and support around sexual harassment. The No Means No project launched by Barcelona city council is flagging, like Safe & the City, trends of sexual harassment and sexual assault to look to for interventions that work to prevent these experiences.
How would you change your city to become more inclusive?
