Mainstreaming Universal Design in Cape Town: Fifa 2010 World Cup™-Related Activities As Catalysts for Social Change
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MAINSTREAMING UNIVERSAL DESIGN IN CAPE TOWN: FIFA 2010 WORLD CUP™-RELATED ACTIVITIES AS CATALYSTS FOR SOCIAL CHANGE by MUGENDI KANAMPIU M’RITHAA Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Technology: DESIGN in the Faculty of Informatics and Design at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology Supervisor: Professor David A.V. Boonzaier Co-supervisor: Professor Simeon E.H. Davies Cape Town (December 2009) DECLARATION I, Mugendi Kanampiu M’Rithaa, declare that the contents of this thesis represent my own unaided work, and that the thesis has not previously been submitted for academic examination towards any qualification. Furthermore, it represents my own opinions and not necessarily those of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. 7th December 2009 Signed Date ii ABSTRACT Universal Design (UD), as it is known in the USA and elsewhere, is an inclusive approach to designing for the broader population and is rapidly gaining popularity amongst design practitioners and planners globally. Similar non-exclusive approaches have evolved in diverse parts of the world to counter the systemic disablement and exclusion of vulnerable/special populations of users perpetuated by traditional approaches to design. The transdisciplinary field of UD is informed by concilience in accommodating a wide range of related fields, such as education, landscape architecture, architecture, town and regional planning, industrial/product/three-dimensional design, furniture design, interior design, communication/information/graphic design, interaction design, human-computer interaction (HCI)/usability studies, and ergonomics/human factors engineering. UD proposes a collaborative systems approach that benefits from the synergies of cross-functionalism by approaching the diverse challenges facing society through socially responsible design. In so doing, UD can potentially impact such diverse issues as health, transportation, inclusive education, sports and recreation, entertainment, social welfare, inclusive employment, transgenerational/lifespan housing, inclusive tourism, accessibility, safety, and ecological concerns on sustainability. The thesis adopts the framework of Activity Theory as a lens through which to investigate how UD can ensure social inclusion and participation by informing the design of products, systems, services, and built environments to accommodate the greatest possible number of users whilst still respecting their diversity. Specifically, the thesis embraces an interpretivist paradigm in its investigation of the relevance and applicability of UD strategies to the City of Cape Town. The research employs a qualitative mixed/multi-methods approach – including a survey of 147 design students at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), and interviews with key informants (design educators, professional designers, local government officials, disability sector practitioners, design activists, and politicians). The urban development projects associated with the FIFA 2010 Soccer World Cup™ offer an historic opportunity for an exploratory case study on how UD strategies can be effectively mainstreamed using this sporting mega-event as a catalyst to effect social change. Simultaneously, action research allows for experimentation in the classroom as well as participation in a 2010-related student competition to investigate the efficacy of UD in multiple contexts. A UD audit of a public park/botanical gardens is also included for discussion. Implications for tertiary-level education of design students, as well as the continuing professional development of graduate designers are discussed herein. The combined settings inform the prerequisites for adjustable UD strategies that are not only relevant and sustainable within Cape Town, but also nationally and much further afield. iii KEYWORDS Accessibility Action Research Activity Theory Ageing Cape Town Concilience Continuing Professional Development Design Education Disability Diversity Equity Ergonomics / Human Factors Explanatory Legitimacy Theory FIFA 2010 Soccer World Cup™ Inclusive Education Mega-Events Participation Social Inclusion Socially Responsible Design South Africa Sports Tourism Sustainability Ubuntu Universal Design (UD) Usability Vulnerable Populations Western Cape Province iv IN-TEXT CITATION CONVENTIONS Dates of publication and page numbers are provided for all authors whose ideas are quoted or paraphrased. Double quotation marks or indentations are used in the case of direct quotations. Exceptions to providing dates and page numbers are where the general focus of an author is referred to or material sourced from the Internet for which no dates and/or page numbers exist. In those instances where multiple references are cited with respect to related opinions/stances in the reviewed literature, the same are listed in chronological order. v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am because we are… I wish to express my sincere appreciation to a number of individuals leading up to the completion of this thesis: To my erudite supervisors, Professors David Boonzaier and Simeon Davies – your experience, direction and constructive criticism kept me focussed and duly informed; To my enlightened parents for establishing a solid academic foundation upon which every successive learning endeavour (including this one) has been built; To my siblings and the extended family network (including KK) for your own unique and effectual expression of ubuntu, and for perpetually challenging me to achieve higher goals; To the executive members of my resident fan club; Doreen Kainyu, Martin Mwenda, and Michella Mwende: asanteni for believing in me (in spite of my acute occupational dementia). You are a fantastic team, and the best inspiration a man could wish for; To Adrienne Viljoen, the design sangoma whose passion for design (and vision for designers) on this continent has been a constant source of inspiration to me; To Alexi Prodromou for being such a conscientious and dedicated brother’s keeper; To David Christer (my fellow biophile), for sharing my enthusiasm for UD, as well as for creating some of the visually pleasing graphics used in the latter part of this thesis; To Johan van Niekerk for your sense of optimism and wonderful friendship; To Jörn Messeter, for your timeous magnanimity at a critical juncture along this journey; To Laurine Platzky and Pazuna Stofile for availing of your resources and expertise; To Mel Hagen, the indefatigable design activist for being ever so instrumental in facilitating key contacts and in so doing you eased my research journey significantly; To Ziggy Strohbach and Alan Meru for steadfastly (and effectively) nudging me on; To Adriana Hornea, Alettia Chisin, Amelia Rorwana, Andre Meyer, Andrea Broom, Bart Verveckken, Belinda Verster, Brendon Knott, Bruce Snaddon, Catherine Trimble, Charles Gilbert, Chris Winberg, Christina Zonyane, Cora Motale, Courtley Pharaoh, Craig Finnan, C.V. Botha, David Makola, Diane Bell, D.J. Coetzee, George Mvalo, Jenny Penfold, Johann van der Merwe, Johannes Cronjé, Juana Jacobs, June Khuzwayo, Kamilla Swart, Karen Hector, Mari Lewis, Marianna Olivier, Marlon Parker, Maurice Dassah, Munira Allie, Nigel Tapela, Nina du Toit, Rael Futerman, Retha de la Harpe, Roelof Oelofsen, Shaun Pather, Stuart Warden, Vikki du Preez, Wayne Coughlan, and Zahied Mukaddam, for valued support; To Aguinaldo dos Santos, Ajay Kumar, Amos Wangombe, Anna Bernagozzi, Anthony Mbogho, Bill Moggridge, Bongani Ntombela, Byron Qually, Carla Cipolla, Carlo Vezzoli, Carlos Hinrichsen, Carol o’Brien, Craig Thompson, David Stairs, Debra West, Dick Henry, Elza Miles, Erica Elk, Esmé Kruger, Eugene Ngugi, Ezio Manzini, Fatima Darries, Felix Ochieng’, Finzi Saidi, François Jégou, François Nsenga, George Teodorescu, Gianfranco Zaccai, Guy Davies, Håkan Edeholt, Hammond Njagi, Havi Murungi, James Odora, Jeremy Opperman, John Mayienga, John Thackara, Johnnie Petersen, Jorge Frascara, Kris Kumar, Kyalo Manthi, Lalit Narkhede, Lara Penin, Lilac Osanjo, Linda Mvusi, Lorraine Ambole, Lou Yongqi, Marcel Maré, Marie Hendricks, Micke Svedemar, Mikko Korpela, Monica Tompson, Nick Ndaba, Odoch Pido, Onesmus Njenga, Pelle Ehn, Peter Mweu, Phillip Thompson, Ralph Shepherd, Ricardo Gomes, Richard Perez; Richie Moalosi, Roberto Bartholo, Roelf Mulder, Roger Fisher, Saki Mafundikwa, Samuel Khumomotse, Sebenzile Matsebula, Sheila Mwihia, Shona McDonald, Shorn Molokwane, Sudhakar Nadkani, Sunday Ogundiyile, Thomas Ongolo, Thumbi Ndungu, T.V. Praseed, T.V.P. Chowdry, Uday Athavankar, Undere Deglon, Venny Nakazibwe, Vincent Daniels, Zayd Minty and myriads whose goodwill and generosity of spirit helped shape my worldview and fuel my passion for design (and life); and To all DRAW members; my trusty assistants Benjamin Bell, Colette Fransolet, Ewaldi Grové, Guillaume du Toit, George Hugo, Jared Odell, Chad Petersen and the many enthusiastic students I have been privileged to engage with thus far in my pedagogic sojourns... The financial assistance of the CPUT University Research Fund (URF) towards this research is gratefully acknowledged. Opinions expressed in this thesis and the conclusions arrived at, are those of the author, and are not necessarily to be attributed to the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. vi DEDICATION “[We’re all] products of history and community, of opportunity and legacy.” – Malcolm Gladwell (2008:285) The pervading influence and inspirational legacy of my predecessors in design – Selby Mvusi, Jessica