Inclusivity in architecture - Design without bias
- Varun Govind
- Aug 7
- 4 min read
In a world that’s becoming more connected yet increasingly fragmented, the spaces we build carry the responsibility to not just house life, but to honour it, in all its diversity. Architecture is often defined by its aesthetics, innovation, and functionality. But one of the most critical and often overlooked dimensions is inclusivity. In a world as diverse as ours, shaped by different abilities, cultures, genders, ages, and socio-economic backgrounds, inclusive architecture is no longer a luxury or trend; it’s a responsibility.
What does Inclusivity in Architecture mean?
Inclusivity in architecture goes beyond ramps and reserved parking. It implies designing environments that acknowledge and embrace human diversity at every level: physical, cognitive, cultural, emotional, and economic. It's about recognising that a well-designed space must serve everyone, not just the majority or the privileged. It means going beyond compliance with accessibility codes and creating environments that genuinely reflect the diverse ways people live, move, perceive, and connect.
Whether it’s a residential building, a workspace, a public plaza, or a school, it asks not “What can we build?” but rather, “ Who are we designing for? Who might we be unitentionally leaving out?”
It means asking:
Can a person with visual impairment or a physical disability navigate this building without assistance?
Is the design resource-hungry, or is it contextually sound?
Is the design respectful of local communities and their traditions?
Are women, children, the elderly, and minorities comfortable in this space?
True inclusivity begins not at the construction site, but at the conceptual stage, within the lines of the first sketch.
Why does it matter?
Accessibility improves functionality for everyone: Features like ramps, wider doorways, tactile flooring, and clear wayfinding benefit not only people with disabilities but also parents with strollers, elderly individuals, and the general public.
Neuro-inclusive design: Incorporating quiet zones, intuitive layouts, and less “in-your-face” approaches supports focus, reduces anxiety, and fosters well-being.
Sustainability with Soul: Inclusive environments are more likely to be cherished, preserved, and used meaningfully, reducing waste and promoting social sustainability.
Equity in design: Ensures that quality spaces are not reserved for a few but thoughtfully extended to all across housing, education, public infrastructure, and commercial spaces.
For example, traditional design often reinforces binary gender norms. Today, inclusivity must reflect diverse gender identities and expressions. Something as simple as not colour-coding washrooms, i.e., pink for girls and blue for boys, or using gendered signage/wayfinding, can make a world of difference in today’s societal norms.
How Do We Design Inclusively?
Co-create, Don’t Assume: Engage real users: Differently abled individuals, women, children, and elders in the design process. Their lived experiences are design gold.
Universal Design Principles: Incorporate features that work across age, ability, and context, from seamless mobility access to multi-sensory navigation.
Detailing with empathy: From thoughtful signage to seating heights, from restroom layouts to daylighting, place yourself there and visualise how people might feel in a space, not just how they move through it.
Design for the Margins: We ask, "Who is most likely to be excluded by this space?" and design for them first. When you design for those at the edges (the wheelchair user, the single parent, the neurodivergent child), you create spaces that function better for everyone.
Respond to Local Context & Climate: Design with the site, not against it. Use of passive cooling, shading, cross-ventilation, and regional materials reduces energy needs, making buildings healthier and more equitable.
Inclusion isn’t extra. It’s essential, whether we're designing a residence, a school, an office, or a public space, our goal must be simple: To ensure everyone feels seen, respected, comfortable and able to participate as well as contribute to the ethos of that space fully.
Examples of Inclusivity:
The Aranya Housing Project: This B.V. Doshi is inclusive not just in form, but in philosophy, blending low-income housing with human dignity and community life. A landmark in social housing, Aranya is designed to accommodate various income groups through flexible, expandable housing modules. It supports economic inclusivity, encourages self-construction, and fosters a vibrant sense of community ownership.
Bait Ur Rouf Mosque: Dhaka, Bangladesh, by Marina Tabassum, removes traditional hierarchy and ornamentation, emphasising spiritual and spatial inclusivity to create a serene space that welcomes all, including women, a rarity in mosque design.
Rajasthan Rural Toilets Program: A humble but powerful example of inclusive sanitation architecture. Built using local materials and labour, these toilets were designed with inputs from women and elderly users, considering privacy, water access, and dignity.
Nirbheek Police Station: Kerala by Wallmakers - India’s first women-centric police station, designed for comfort, dignity, and accessibility, it challenges gendered notions of institutional design by offering safe, warm, and trauma-informed architecture to all.
Kochi Biennale Pavilions: Kerala - These temporary art spaces often explore inclusivity through public access, gender-neutral restrooms, ramps, and participatory installation spaces, opening the realm of art and space to everyone, including renowned designers, artists, architects, locals and marginalised voices.
Castel Sant’Elmo’s Braille Handrail: A touch of inclusive design by local artist Paolo Puddu, also known as “Follow the Shape”, is a 28‑meter (92 ft) steel handrail installed along the edge of Castel Sant’Elmo’s - Naples’ panoramic terrace. Crafted to provide a tactile narrative of the view for visually impaired visitors. This installation demonstrates how small, thoughtful interventions can radically enrich the experience of public spaces for visitors with visual impairments, transforming a simple handrail into a bridge between sighted and non-sighted ways of experiencing place.
Design should be a conversation, not a monologue:
Architecture has the power to connect people or divide them. Whether it’s a high-rise residential tower, an educational institution, or a civic space, our mission must be to design environments where everyone feels seen, respected, and at home because the future of architecture isn’t just aesthetic, sustainable or smart, it’s inclusive. Architects shape more than structures; we shape systems, memories, experiences, vistas and identities. Every wall we raise, every path we define, sends a message: “You belong here, your experience enhances this space”.
The built environment can be either an agent of exclusion or a beacon of equality. The choice lies with us, designers, clients, policy makers, and educators. Let’s choose to build a world where no one is left OUTSIDE THE BLUEPRINT.
"If architecture is to make sense, it must be anchored in the experience of the people who use it." — Peter Zumthor.