Vía Célere adapts its signage manual for common areas to improve the cognitive accessibility of its promotions

• The application of the new signage manual coincides with World Disability Day and when two years have passed since the regulatory expiration on the need to adapt existing environments and buildings according to reasonable accessibility adjustments.

Vía Célere, developer specializing in the development, investment and management of real estate assets, has adapted its manual for signage in common areas, in accordance with cognitive accessibility criteria. This process has involved people with intellectual disabilities from Afanias, trained as cognitive evaluators in environments and buildings according to the model of inclusive design of spaces by the architect Berta Brusilovsky, and which is the basis of the project ‘Easy Space that seeks to promote cognitive accessibility in building and facilitate the orientation of people in environments and buildings.

The adaptation of the manual was preceded by a joint evaluation of the cognitive accessibility of the communal areas of a Vía Célere type promotion, carried out by technicians from the Vía Célere project department and cognitive evaluators with intellectual disabilities from Afanias, who helped identify possible cognitive barriers that subsequently led to a proposal for signage improvement and adaptation. By introducing colour zoning and new icons, specific shades have been specified for the communal rooms, aligned with the signage, in order to make it as easy as possible to understand the spaces.

This adaptation of the manual has also been validated and certified by Afanias cognitive evaluators according to the cognitive accessibility indicators developed within the framework of the Easy Space project, which represent the first approach in Spain to measuring Cognitive Accessibility in environments and buildings. with quantifiable indicators.

This announcement coincides with the World Disability Day and when two years have passed since December 4, 2017, the date on which the period established in the General Law of rights of people with disabilities and their social inclusion expired so that existing buildings are adapted according to reasonable accessibility adjustments.

“At a time when the urban population is growing rapidly, Universal Accessibility is a shared responsibility of all of us who are part of the same urban environment and a priority to achieve more sustainable and accessible cities for all. Incorporating cognitive accessibility criteria in our promotions from the project phase will contribute to facilitating the day-to-day life of our customers, while improving the social integration of people with intellectual disabilities, “explained Carlos Valdés, Head of CSR at Vía Célere.

Easy Space Project

The ‘Easy Space’ project aims to evaluate, design and adapt spaces to facilitate orientation within them and transform them into cognitively accessible environments.

The initiative, which started with pioneering research in this field to create the first indicators of cognitive accessibility, has already carried out the diagnosis and adaptation of four buildings (CSEU La Salle, CEPA Canillejas, CEPA Pozuelo and the Afanias Canillejas centre).

Likewise, this project consolidates a design model and a participatory methodology that results in people with intellectual disabilities becoming active protagonists in achieving a more accessible society.