PJ Downs & Associates Ltd
Operational Access & Design Consultants
Climate, People, Places, Value are the four principles of the Design Group within the National Infrastructure Commission. The climate aspect is very closely watched by anyone involved in the built environment as we progress through the 21st century. ‘People, Places and Value’ are principles that need a little more explanation. In Phil’s most recent project, Future Didsbury, these principles are very much to the fore. The Future Didsbury project is on trend in other ways too; post Covid the two headings in vogue are our ‘high streets’ and our ‘communities’ which we all need to consider in this time of enormous change. Whether the old normal comes back or we stick with the new normal, access and inclusion remain the same and Phil would always contend that making an environment accessible to people with disabilities also makes it more easily accessed by others. The attention given to access is an important part of the equation that Phil hopes will automatically provide opportunities through inclusion which, in turn, will help the growth of stronger communities. The Future Didsbury template will be transferable to other locations and provide an opportunity to ‘cherry-pick’ and reproduce a thriving community with a bustling high street elsewhere. (for more information visit Future Didsbury ‘The Movie’)
Phil’s background has been spent creating accessible environments for spectators with disabilities at football stadia and other medium to large venues. The principles of operational access when applied prove that something as challenging as threading fans with disabilities through the eye of a needle on match days can be comfortably achieved.
Careful consideration at all times with key people in this field of expertise can provide truly accessible environments be they small, medium or large.
Creating an accessible environment isn’t difficult, obtaining the right advice is!
