A Solution of Wheelchair Accessibility in Existing Building – Apartment Building in Kraslice

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to provide information about solution possibilities in the design of wheelchair accessibility in the existing apartment building. Given the growing population of the elderly, and the efforts to integrate people with health disabilities into society, greater emphasis is placed on ensuring a barrier-free environment in public places, in public infrastructure and at public buildings. Infrastructure, premises, and buildings without barrier-free modifications make it difficult to use and move around or through it. The government is actively trying to resolve these things by creating new texts of building laws, decrees and building standards and by tightening the rules for issuing building permits for new buildings. At the same time, the building authorities have the power to order the owner of the building or the place its construction modification to ensure the barrier-free environment. An example will be given to the existing apartment building in Kraslice city in the Czech Republic, where the building authority ordered an owner of the building to secure construction modifications for the barrier-less use of the building. The solution of barrier-less use of the apartment building for persons with reduced mobility is based on the building layout, possibilities and needs of persons in a wheelchair and persons with a baby stroller, as well as from the building layout and possibilities of persons using crutches, sticks, walkers or other equipment for walking, pregnant women and persons accompanying children under three years of age. The design of the wheelchair accessibility of the apartment building is based on the applicable building law, relevant decrees and building standards, as well as on the implementation possibilities, taking into account aspects such as the existing layout and its possibilities, structure system design, technical equipment, possibilities of surrounding area and investor’s financial options. The result is the realization of barrier-free entrance into the apartment building based on the most feasible design, which best analysed all the above aspects.