Focus

We address the problem that accessibility is often integrated too late in planning processes. 

As a result, the lived experiences of many user groups are overlooked, including elderly people, who are frequently underrepresented in participation processes and may be less familiar with digital tools, as well as people with mobility impairments, parents with strollers, and temporarily injured individuals. When accessibility is treated as an add-on rather than a starting point, it leads to concrete barriers in everyday mobility, such as uneven surfaces, missing or unreliable elevators, poor or confusing signage, and unclear responsibilities between different actors (e.g. DB, MVG, and the city). We highlight how these planning gaps restrict independent movement and why accessibility needs to be embedded from the beginning of planning and design processes.

We summarized our findings in an individual webpage, aiming to raise awareness and shift the planning discussion from users to planners. You can access the website here.