Barrier-free
Barrier-free refers to a state in which obstacles have been removed. Popular since the 1960s&sbquo the concept refers to the removal of physical obstacles for the physically challenged&sbquo wheelchair users&sbquo and the visually impaired from buildings and structures. In the 1970s&sbquo WHO commissioned specialists from various nations to do policy research on the theme "Towards barrier-free environments" in order to prepare for the formulation of the International Year of Disabled Persons that was to start in 1980. It was in this context of events that the proposal for universal design was born. There are clear differences&sbquo however&sbquo among the core concepts of barrier-free&sbquo universal design&sbquo and even normalization. Barrier-free in particular&sbquo as seen in the barrier-free law in japan&sbquo comprises legislative guidelines and systematic policies regarding transportation systems&sbquo urban planning&sbquo architectural planning and design. As policy concepts of today's social movements and public design&sbquo however&sbquo it has gone beyond the mere removal of physical obstacles. It has rather advanced in the direction that also includes removal of psychological barriers in human relationships and social communities. In short&sbquo barrier-free today needs to first remove both physical and psychological obstacles through social systems and then promote barrier-free as an ideal state of nature and human society rather than as a system. In design&sbquo normalization&sbquo barrier-free and universal design are already taken for granted as design subjects&sbquo and without a doubt design objectives to be embodied. These three must also be integrated to realize physical and psychological barrier-free environments in the process of shifting from human centered design to inclusive design.