Evolution of the concept of inclusivity in architecture

Abstract

The evolution of the concept of inclusivity in architecture is examined. The issue is studied in conjunction with an analysis of the historical context, namely the attitude of the state, society and church towards people with special needs of psychophysical development. Each of the five stages of this process was reflected in the development of architecture of its time. The first three were purely isolating in nature. The result of the first was the emergence of shelters and almshouses for people with special needs. At the end of the second, the first specialized hospitals were created. The third stage became important for the idea of inclusive education, when the first schools and universities for people with disabilities were founded. The fourth period became a turning point in the process of evolution; society abandoned the isolation of the population group being studied and set a course for its integration, leaving the concept of architecture “for the anomalous” in the past. The result of the current fifth stage can be considered the final formation of the idea of inclusiveness in architecture, taking into account the needs of each person and the characteristics of his perception of the world.