Student's testimonial and responses on starting a UD centre at BNCA

KETAKI KOLAMBKAR

Getting to learn through the principle objective of the elective, it became a guideline towards a complete(holistic) design approach that depicts supreme sensitivity towards the user. The elective brought forward the process of designing correctly. It is like a habit that's introduced. You don’t have an option to follow it or not, you just adopt it as it is.

ABOUT BNCA's UD DEPARTMENT: To be able to deliver a complete design, without preferential biases towards users while using design elements, is a great way of being brought up in a design school. And setting up a department for this cause is a great initiative towards sensitive designing. To be able to access this resource at college level is a great opportunity for students. And as a full fledged department it is a great way of spreading awareness and promoting not just design sensitivity but also re-define design habits in the long run.

SNEHAL DALIYA

Having studied Universal Design as an Elective for one semester and worked for Universal design Competition for exploring World Heritage Sites in India hosted by SPA, Bhopal under the guidance of Prof. Kavita Murugkar have immensely exposed me to the term “Universal Design” and need for the same. Most important thing I have learnt is “Consider the needs of the broadest possible range of users from the very beginning”. The basic knowledge and quest to learn more about it helped me to get into Paul Menton Disability Centre as a Tutor during my Canada exchange programme at Carleton University, Ottawa. Learning Universal Design elective, interacting with varied users and disabilities have benefited me immensely in overall confidence building and design approach, altogether changing my vision.

There is a need to understand as a population, is that Universal design efforts benefit people who are not disabled, as well as those who are.Removing barriers to access provides a benefit that will likely improve user experiences for everyone. Starting this Centre at BNCA would act as a strong initiative to expose young minds and even train local people creating the awareness in this field and making a difference to the society.

RICHA JAGATRAMKA

Accessible,Adaptable,Affordable,and Attractive –are 4 words around which the whole concept of Universal design rotates. I was introduced to this subject as ‘INFINITY’ of explorations. Acknowledging, Universal Design, has helped me renew my vision of looking at a people, not just Design. It helps you become more sensitive to the needs your society (users). 

A Universal Design centre, in BNCA Pune will be taking a great social responsibility, which will bring about awareness and discover and develop a whole new meaning for the city and its people.   

CHITRA PUROHIT

When I chose Universal Design as my elective, I was not totally aware of the scope it had and the various factors and principles it catered to. I just had one thought in mind which was easy accessibility means for specially abled people. After learning this subject, I was introduced to a broader aspect of it. The introduction itself was so good that it made me keen on learning it in depth. It was not just accessibility as a single factor to be considered but a lot more.


Not just in architecture, but UD plays a very vital role in every other field too. Be it product design, furniture design, UD makes it possible for us to understand and learn that ‘one size doesn’t fit all’. Every user is different and so are their needs and demands. Learning all the principles in UD as well as doing the simulation exercise (being blindfolded and walking and manoeuvering the wheelchair) has given me a lot of knowledge and thus made more sensitive in approaching a design as well as in normal life. Just providing a ramp at the entrance is not UD. It has a wider scope; each person with any special ability should be able to access each and every space in the design. This gives us a challenge to make our designs such that every user has a different yet easy access and enjoys the space. 

The idea of starting this centre in the leadership of Kavita ma’am is very interesting. Under her efficient guidance, we were introduced to various aspects of UD and those are truly helpful. I feel this centre will surely be a huge success and helpful for all the students. I wish to be a part of the same so that I am of some help for making our surroundings a better place to live.

ANERI SHAH

Selecting Universal Design as an elective turned out to be a great decision.  Prof. Kavita Murugkar conducted Lectures, Guest Lectures, Simulation Programs and many Site Visits. After being a part of all these exercises, I definitely evolved into a more sensitive individual and a better designer. 

Universal Design was more than just an elective in less than a week and I started implementing the principles into Architectural Design, Construction Techniques and many more subjects. In my opinion, this knowledge must be shared with all. Universal Design shouldn’t be taught as an optional subject. A Centre for Universal Design would be a great start to share, learn and implement these principles. Universal Design isn’t just the need of the hour. It will always play an important role in our society. 

As a School of Architecture, we must take this initiative where not just students and professors but citizens can learn and relate too. We must surely have a Centre for Universal Design in our College.

MEGHNA MAJETHIYA

As a student of architecture, I’ve often come across the phrase “ we design for people “. Its only after I took up this course that I realized a greater depth to this phrase and I became more aware of the problems that people face on a day to day basis. This course has not only helped me become a more sensitive architect but also a better human being. 

Unfortunately, these specially abled people feel discriminated in our society. Thus, by creating inclusive design solutions, I aspire to change this mindset of the general public.

I am really grateful to Kavita Murugkar Maa’m that she shared her knowledge about Universal Design with us and that she's taking this initiative to make many more people aware and sensitive.

AKANSHA MALU

Before choosing universal design as an elective, to me “universal design” as a term was only related to designing for the disabilities, but  after choosing as my elective topic and the urge to explore the subject more it has changed its meaning. Universal design in architecture, where design features intended for individuals with disabilities but have unexpected benefits for the general population. The  journey of learning universal design has taught me a various aspects which are required to design a building or a product, which were unknowingly ignored in my early years of learning. It has changed my vision of analysing, understanding, and designing for a particular concern. Designing universally is not a addition to the structure, but it a whole part of the design.

On the beginning of UD centre  

As a student I was introduced to this subject in my fourth year, it has changed a lot in my designing process, and has developed a different skill set in designing. If this could taught and included in a students learning process from stage one, it would definitely make a change. Starting a centre would create an urge to learn and explore the term more in the students, This centre will give opportunity and give a platform to students by having hands-on experience through workshops and lectures. This will definitely be benefit for all and this centre would give a beginning to a major concern, and this initiative would definitely make change to a large mass of people. 

MANASVI RANAWARE

For an Architecture student, the major task to design his/her structure is not only to make it aesthetical or dynamic, but to make it accessible for any and every individual. My objective to choose Universal design as an elective was to study the kind of barriers as well as to find a logical solution to tackle the same.

After performing various exercises like simulation, studying the different learning styles in a student and several site visits as a part of universal design, has benefited me not just as a student but as a designer to identify and interact with several users and resolve my design in terms of making it barrier free and accessible to majority of the end users.

An initiative to start with a Centre for Universal Design, is going to benefit a major group of students, by making them aware of this particular concept of creating a barrier free environment and an opportunity to be a part of various workshops, lecture series and seminars by many of the eminent practicing architects in this field.

I am glad and find myself lucky to have studied this subject and would love to be a part of this initiative taken by the faculty of our institution.  

HIMANI BOTHE

We studied Universal Design as our design elective in our 7th semester. The main aim is to guide a wide range of design principles including environments, products and communications.

The introduction of seven principles helped us to enhance our design and evaluate existing  or new designs, guide the design process and ultimately benefit the user.

In order to understand the barriers faced by disabled people, we conducted simulation, interviewed various disabled people and also studies various case examples .It has changed my vision to look at the surrounding environment in order to make it barrier free.

The start of 'The centre for Universal Design' is a good way to make people aware of the need to enhance the importance to make the surrounding easily accesible. Introduction through  various presentations, guest lectures, seminars this center will help learners and will create a platform to discuss their ideas with one another.May this centre be an initiative to introduce universal design to young minds.

SNEHA YERUNKAR

Univeral Design, not only recognizes and values but also attempts to accommodate broadest spectrum of the human ability to use the different availability of spaces and products.

As a student of architecture it helps to find sensitive design solutions so that the user group can easily carry out their daily activities and gives a broader perspective to interact with different user groups. Thus, Universal Design is design for all and everyone is benefitted. Starting such an activity would help the students in becoming sensitive designers and would increase their ability to think for a better future. Also it would help the users to widen their views regarding usability of the space.