New European Bauhaus Prizes 2023

Concept category

Identify the award category for which this concept is being submitted
Prioritising the places and people that need it the most

Email user
r0918500@student.thomasmore.be

Basic information
Concept title
Inclusive park

Full Concept Title
Redesigning the information service system of Vrijbroekpark's Multi-Move Path to make it inclusive

Please provide a short, catchy description of your concept to be used in communication towards the public
This project aims to design services that make Vrijbroekpark inclusive for everyone, with a particular emphasis on individuals with physical and visual challenges (Case study: the Multi-Move Path). Finding information about the path both online and in the park itself, finding your way on the MMP and resting on the MMP is now easier, even for those with limited Dutch proficiency or people with visual and mobility issues. Our suggestions can be applied in other recreational places or other parks.

What was the geographical scope of your concept?
Local

Where was your concept implemented?
Member State(s) and Western Balkans
Belgium

If relevant, insert names of region(s)/municipality(ies) involved
Vrijbroekpark, Mechelen, Province of Antwerpen, Belgium

Does your concept address mainly urban or rural issues?
Mainly urban

Does your concept refer to a physical transformation of the built environment or other types of transformations (hard or soft investments)?
It refers to a physical transformation of the built environment (hard investment)

Has your concept benefited from EU programmes and/or funds?
No

Has your concept won an EU prize with a monetary value awarded?
No

On whose behalf are you submitting the application?
As an individual in partnership with other persons
Please provide the contact details for the author(s) of the concept:
- First name: Shadi, Jilte, Tözün
  Last name: Lakishiraz, Heyvaert, Atmaca
  Gender: Female
  Age: 29
  Please attach a copy of your national ID/residence card:
  ID-card.jpg
  
  By ticking this box, I certify that the information regarding my age is factually correct. : Yes
  Nationality: Iran
  Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: Rik Wouterssraat, 25/3
  Town: Mechelen
  Postal code: 2800
  Country: Belgium
  Direct Tel: +32 492 87 26 42
  E-mail: r0918500@student.thomasmore.be
Social Media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, etc.)
- Social media handle and associated hashtag(s): https://www.linkedin.com/in/shadi-lakishiraz/
In case my concept is selected as a finalist of the NEB Prizes 2023, I agree to share the name (individual and/or organisation’s), email address, website and social media accounts indicated above with other NEB Prizes finalists. I also agree to publish the name (individual and/or organisation’s), website and social media accounts indicated above next to the public description of my concept in the channels of the European Commission
Yes

How did you hear about the New European Bauhaus Prizes?
Previous participants

Description of the concept
Please provide a summary of your concept.
Our design improves accessibility for people with disabilities on the multimove path (MMP) at the park. Finding information about the path both online and in the park itself, finding your way on the MMP and resting on the MMP is now easier, even for those with limited Dutch proficiency or people with visual and mobility issues. Our suggestions can be applied in other recreational places or in other parks. In this stage of the project, the design solutions are proposed to the client (Vrijbroekpark from Province of Antwerp in Belgium) to be reviewed for further developments and prototyping and testing could be the next stage.

Please indicate the main themes of your concept with 5 key words.
Inclusivity

Please indicate the main themes of your concept with key words
accessibility

Please indicate the main themes of your concept with key words
Information

Please indicate the main themes of your concept with key words
mobility challenges

Please indicate the main themes of your concept with key words
visual challenges

Please give information about the key objectives of your concept in terms of sustainability and how these have been met. Please highlight how the concept can be exemplary in this context.
The materials which are considered in the physical parts of the project are in harmony with the nature and mostly can be provided in the park itself.
In the online part of the service design, the sustainability is considered as well. Making the contents of the website more accessible make them more understandable for all which can be resulted in a more sustainable website with less internet pollution.

Please give information about the key objectives of your concept in terms of aesthetics and quality of experience for people (through design, positive emotions and cultural benefits) and how these have been met. Please highlight how the concept can be exemplary in this context.
Our team tried to come up with some solutions to create a more inclusive experience for users. As one part of the project, the logos of the Multi-Move Path by Sport Vlaanderen were redesigned in a way to include users with different ages and physical and visual abilities to make users feel more welcome. The aim was to create a sense of belonging to the users and to include more users rather than children. Besides we tried to consider disabilities as "challenges" and created new names such as "the wheel-friendly path" on behalf of "the path for wheelchair users" to build more positive emotions. It is worth noting that our design solutions can also be developed and implemented in other areas of the park and in other parks.

Please give information about the key objectives of your concept in terms of inclusion (ranging from accessibility and affordability for all to inclusive governing systems, design for all principles or new societal models) and how these have been met. Please highlight how the concept can be exemplary in this context.
Our redesigned service system includes a variety of solutions and suggestions that the park can implement. The website has been made more accessible for people with visual impairments, dyslexia, and basic-level Dutch speakers by using appropriate colors, following accessibility guidelines, and making it compatible with screen readers. Wayfinding, maps, and informational boards are now easily accessible for people using wheels and those with visual impairments through the use of 3D designs, braille, and proper positioning. Resting places on the path have also been made accessible for wheels by providing designated areas. Additionally, individuals with visual impairments can easily locate signage, maps, information boards, and resting places on the path through the use of textured ground.The path itself has also been made more accessible for all types of wheels and blind people through the use of appropriate materials and clear borders. The system includes a suggestion booklet for the client with more detailed information about these solutions

Please explain the way citizens benefiting from or affected by the concept and civil society have been / will be involved in the concept and what has been / will be the impact of this involvement on the concept.
Considering four (new) user groups and personas, including a family consisting of a pregnant woman and a woman with a baby stroller and another energetic child aged 7, members of an organization called Akabe with visual issues, members of an elderly care center with various challenges such as mobility challenges, reading difficulties, dyslexia, and color blindness, and two friends, one of whom uses a wheelchair, we tried to include different users from the society with different needs and dreams. The service design solutions are designed to benefit not only these users, but all users of the park. For example, if the website content is more understandable and accessible, all users will benefit and if the information in the park is more accessible, the experience of all users can be improved.

Please explain how different stakeholders at various levels (local, regional, national, European) were engaged in the design and development of the concept. Please highlight what the added value of their engagement was
In the research phase and the design phase of the project, we made use of several methods and techniques to understand the needs and dreams of various (future) users and stakeholders. We did a user research by doin observation, service safari, doing interviews and also holding a co creation session in which we could do a brainstorming with experts and possible users of the park and we got confirmation for some of our design ideas.

Please explain which disciplines and / or knowledge fields were reflected in the design and development of your concept. Please explain how representatives of these different fields interacted with each other, and what the added value of this process was
As a team of 3 with different backgrounds, knowledge and insight such as interior designing, UX designing, industrial designing, sketching and content making with different geographical and cultural backgrounds, we tried to develop a holistic service system design. As a multi-disciplinary team, we were able to develop solutions for different parts of the project and to translate the users problems into some practical ideas. Besides, during the research and developing ideas, we were able to get insight from different experts including the ones who have experience with people facing special challenges to understand the users needs and barriers better.

Please explain the innovative character of your concept when compared to mainstream actions in the field of the concept.
We tried to design tangible and intangible parts of the service with this in mind to find one solution for all in a way by which either all can benefit or some can benefit and others will not be harmed by that design solution. We tried to see the impairments as challenges which can be responded by some solutions. Besides, we tried to define some quick wins for the client to be able to enhance the user experiences by some easy to apply solutions. Besides we developed a holistic information service system from online to physical solutions with considering the needs of different users.

Please which elements of your concept could be replicated or transferred to other places, groups of beneficiaries and contexts. This may involve, for example, aspects of the methodology, technology, processes, products, learnings, etc.
The service system including the ways to make the paths, information boards, signages, maps, logos, resting places and the website contents inclusive have the opportunity to be applied in other areas of the Verijbroekpark and in other parks. Actually by considering the multi-Move path of the Vrijbroekpark as a case study, we tried to build an information service system that can also be applied in other locations. The checklist and he tool guide for making the website contents inclusive, the suggestions for the distance between signages, information boards and resting areas, the ergonomic consideration for boards and signages, the suggestions regarding the material and the borders of the paths, the color pallets suitable for color blinds and the vision and ideas for designing inclusive logos and Icons can be replicated to other places.

Please explain what kind of global challenges the concept addresses by providing local solutions
By considering different personas with different challenges such as mobility and visual issues, difficulty in reading, dyslexia, having a baby stroller or having a limited knowledge of the official language of the country as newcomers, we tried to address users who might be considered less while designing public spaces to feel more included.

Please attach the development plan of your concept. This plan should detail the plans you have for the further development and implementation of your concept, with a particular attention to the steps envisaged in the year following the application. The plan should also include envisaged results and benefits from the concept for direct and indirect beneficiaries. The results and benefits should be specified in relation to the objectives of the concept, and to what is expected in the context of the respective category

Booklet_English_Version.pdf
Please attach at least one high resolution image or visual representation of your concept to your application.
If you would like to upload additional documentation, please upload or write below
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By submitting your application you confirm that you are the copyright owner of the images provided and that they can be used by the European Commission for the purposes of promoting the New European Bauhaus on all platforms (websites, print, social media and other).
Yes

By ticking this box, you declare that you are not in in one or more of the exclusion situations foreseen under Article 136 of the Financial Regulation.
Yes

By submitting this application, I declare that I am not related to the entities subject to EU restricted measures under Article 29 of the Treaty on the European Union (TEU) and subject to Article 215 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (TFEU)1, and entities covered by Commission Guidelines No 2013/C 205/05), which are not eligible to participate in any capacity.
Yes

By ticking this box, you declare that all the information provided in this form is factually correct, that you assume sole liability in the event of a claim relating to the activities carried out in the framework of the contest, that the proposed concept has not been proposed for the New European Bauhaus Prizes in any other category or strand and that it has not been subject to any type of investigation, which could lead to a financial correction because of irregularities or fraud.
Yes

By submitting your application, you guarantee that you are the author or have the rights to proceed with the application and to authorise the use of the concept, initiative, and that you have obtained any necessary consents, licenses or assignments from third parties and included copyright notices when necessary.
Yes

By submitting your application, you understand that all the applications that meet the eligibility requirements will be shared for the purposes of the selection processes, and notably published on the secured platform prizes.new-european-bauhaus.eu and for the purposes of the promotion of these on the New European Bauhaus website and/or other European Commission communication channels. In this sense, the applications would be widely available. Applicants should ensure that they present their concepts, concepts, in such a way that they could be shared without giving rise to intellectual property related concerns. If your submission is selected as one of the finalists, it will additionally be shared for the purpose of the public vote that will take place. The European Union is granted a licence to use and share your application with the general public and the official external experts for the purposes of the selection process, including the voting. The European Union has the right to use the images and visual materials and the description provided in the application for communication purposes related to the contest and beyond. Rights granted comprise the right to store, reproduce, display, publish and communicate or distribute copies in electronic or digital format, including, but not only, through the internet. Unless you have disclosed your name, the European Commission has no obligation to share your name when using or disseminating your contribution to the public. The European Union cannot be held responsible in case any submitted concept, concept is found to infringe third party’s rights. The European Union shall be neither responsible for the use that third parties may do of the applications or related content.
Yes

By submitting your application, you acknowledge that you read and understand that the ‘Guide to Applicants’ of the NEB Prizes 2023, available online in the website of the NEB Prizes 2023, is an integral part of this application form and that it must therefore be observed when completing and submitting your application.
Yes