BNIM Principal Kevin Nordmeyer, AIA and Associate Jason Kruse, AIA along with Amy Bentley at the Harkin Institute for Public Policy & Citizen Engagement, wrote a piece for the Des Moines Business Record titled “Creating an Inclusive Environment that Benefits Business Owners, Consumers and Employees”.

In this piece, the three address the new Harkin Institute building and how it was designed to create an accessible and equitable environment for Iowans with disabilities. The Institute’s disability committee wanted to create a narrative around what universal design could truly mean for built environments now and in the future. Often times, ADA compliance in buildings is built as an afterthought and in a way that is not the most inclusive. The goals of the design of the Harkin Institute were to enable anyone entering the space to have access to necessary support without having to ask for special accommodations. Ways that these needs were met were through generous space and appropriate path widths, equitable experiences such as meeting rooms with circular table arrangements and single-user restrooms, and by providing proper technologies for those with hearing impairments.

To learn more about the Harkin Institute, click here.