20. Universal Design at the White House Visitor Center with Sherril York

April 18th, 2017  |  9 mins 57 secs

sherril york

Dr. Sherril York, executive director of the National Center on Accessibility, was part of the team that renovated the White House Visitor Center in 2012. Design priorities included making the experience accessible for all visitors.

The new visitor center features raised line floor plans, tactile 3D models, and physical directional keys adjacent to touchscreens.

In this episode, based on her case study for the fall 2015 issue of the Exhibitionist, Dr. York describes the process of working on alternative navigation methods, explains the difference between accessability and universal design, and underscores the importance of not thinking about accessibility and universal design as an afterthought.