How is the freshmen dorm life in emory?
Are they accessible to all different types of students on campus?
There are many different freshmen dorm on campus, but I have chosen to analyze specifically Harris Hall.
Harris Hall is one of the oldest building on the Emory University main campus.
Located on the main road, Harris Hall has a main entrance that leads to the second floor of the building. Right outside of the building is the grand entrance doors with the cold architecture of the building. Needless to say, even the entrance of this hall is narrow. How unwelcoming. As Denis Cosgrove states, all landscape has a symbol, and the symbolism of this landscape is one that is inhospitable (Cosgrove 180).
Located on the main road, Harris Hall has a main entrance that leads to the second floor of the building. Right outside of the building is the grand entrance doors with the cold architecture of the building. Needless to say, even the entrance of this hall is narrow. How unwelcoming. As Denis Cosgrove states, all landscape has a symbol, and the symbolism of this landscape is one that is inhospitable (Cosgrove 180).
Moving on from the main entrance, there is one more entrance to Harris Hall near the back of the building. As Tucker Smith mentions in his post, this entrance is the more commonly used entrance to Harris Hall (Smith). Although the main entrance heads to the outskirts of the campus, the back entrance leads to the core of the campus.
The problem lies with the accessibility of this back entrance.
Although the back entrance is wide enough (unlike the main one) to fit most mobility aides, such as wheelchairs, there is a long way of stairs to reach this entrance from the main road.
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The door is heavy and hard to open even as a female ‘abled’ body. Tucker Smith points out the important fact that the door operator is located on the inside of the building but not the outside (Smith). However, even this operator, in fact, is broken.
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The most hindered group of people for this specific hall would most likely be the physically disabled. Although the visually hindered may not have too much of a hindrance, the problem is definitely evident for those, for example, in wheelchairs.
How would these problems be fixed?
First, the architecture of this building needs to be altered to show a better environment for all types of students. Cosgrove emphasizes the importance of symbolism of all landscapes (Cosgrove 180). The unwelcoming vibe of the building should be fixed.
The entrances should be wider, as well. Although other doors in the building are also narrow, the main entrance should be the widest of all. Not only is it hard for people to move into their dorms (with their suitcases and boxes of belongings), but it is also hard for those with physical aides.
Opening the door is the next challenge. Not only are the doors heavy, but one would need a firm grasp on the handles to pull the doors open. From the inside it requires solely a firm push, but entering from the outside needs quite a bit of effort. Therefore the door should have a buttoned operator to push from the inside and out when someone may need help. Even a lighter door material would help those in need.
Stairs to the back entrance are also a problem for those who cannot climb. The hill is quite steep, so creating a ramp would take much of the spaces, as well as time. However, that does not create a more accessible environment. If a ramp cannot be designed into the environment, then another method needs to be thought of. For instance, Finding another route down to the back entrance, without taking too much of one’s time, would be the best choice.
Universal design should be kept in mind when redesigning Harris Hall. The current handle of Harris Hall is low and hard to grapple onto. If I were to be carrying a box of belongings, I would not be able to open the door with ease. The handle of the door may seem minimal, but it can create numerous different problems. It would be best for it to be a push down, so one does not need to grab on to the handle to open the door.
Redesigning these factors of Harris Hall would create a much more accessible and welcoming environment for the physically disabled. As one can clearly see from these statements, Harris Hall is inaccessible even from the entrance of the building.
The entrances should be wider, as well. Although other doors in the building are also narrow, the main entrance should be the widest of all. Not only is it hard for people to move into their dorms (with their suitcases and boxes of belongings), but it is also hard for those with physical aides.
Opening the door is the next challenge. Not only are the doors heavy, but one would need a firm grasp on the handles to pull the doors open. From the inside it requires solely a firm push, but entering from the outside needs quite a bit of effort. Therefore the door should have a buttoned operator to push from the inside and out when someone may need help. Even a lighter door material would help those in need.
Stairs to the back entrance are also a problem for those who cannot climb. The hill is quite steep, so creating a ramp would take much of the spaces, as well as time. However, that does not create a more accessible environment. If a ramp cannot be designed into the environment, then another method needs to be thought of. For instance, Finding another route down to the back entrance, without taking too much of one’s time, would be the best choice.
Universal design should be kept in mind when redesigning Harris Hall. The current handle of Harris Hall is low and hard to grapple onto. If I were to be carrying a box of belongings, I would not be able to open the door with ease. The handle of the door may seem minimal, but it can create numerous different problems. It would be best for it to be a push down, so one does not need to grab on to the handle to open the door.
Redesigning these factors of Harris Hall would create a much more accessible and welcoming environment for the physically disabled. As one can clearly see from these statements, Harris Hall is inaccessible even from the entrance of the building.
As discussed in this video, “it’s not what’s inside that counts. Good design means the entrance . . . should also be accessible” (“Accessibility Code for new buildings under review”) Although Harris hall may have accessible features within the building, the entrances to this building needs a change for the more. If one cannot enter the building, what would be the point of accessibility inside?