The Universal Design Tool for the Built Environment is a digital platform designed to promote more accessible and inclusive cities. Its purpose is to ensure that everyone can move around and enjoy urban spaces safely, independently, and comfortably.
Our goal
To make universal design accessible to everyone. Explore, learn, and help us build more inclusive cities!
Who is it for?
Designed for urban planners, designers, local authorities, and citizens committed to improving their environment, this tool facilitates the planning and design of more equitable spaces.
Part of a Bigger Project
It is part of InclusiveSpaces (2023-2025), a European project aimed at advancing diverse, accessible and sustainable urban design.
How was this tool made?
The content has been created through a collaborative effort involving researchers, experts, and citizens. The process included analyzing more than 90 sources, conducting interviews, establishing communities of practice, and organizing focus groups.
Testing in Out in Real life
To ensure its effectiveness, the tool will be tested in three pilot cities throughout 2025.
Almost 100 sources—including manuals, legislation, and studies of urban and architectural examples—were analyzed to meticulously extract the best measures and practices to be integrated simultaneously and cohesively into this manual.
Interviews with experts in inclusive design, policymakers, and people with disabilities, who shared their insights on the strengths, weaknesses, and challenges of the urban environment.
Communities of Practice, where people with disabilities and built environment professionals contributed valuable experiences that have been integrated into this manual’s global vision.
Focus Groups helped evaluate the first version of the platform.
A Visual Way to explore Spaces
Here, you can visually explore how various recommendations relate to creating inclusive spaces for everyone.
Our interactive diagram allows easy navigation through 257 recommendations, organised into different spatial categories: hover over it and discover a brief summary for more details.
We invite you to explore and uncover the structure behind these recommendations for more accessible, thoughtful spaces!
Want to Learn More About Inclusive Design?
This section helps you deepen your understanding of universal design and accessibility while providing practical insights to take action. Discover our collection of analysis sheets, where we break down key regulations, certifications, case studies, inspiring voices, and best practices to help create more inclusive and adaptive spaces.
We would like to thank the generosity of the following people who have collaborated by giving their opinion, testimony or professional knowledge in the interviews, Communities of Practice, Focus Groups, or in one-on-ones:
Cesar Arribas (Architect), Cristina Garzón (Architect – Museography), Elina Marios Perez (Technical Architect, Deputy Director General – Ministry of Justice, Architect with a position of responsibility, Accessibility expert), Enrique Román (Technical service consultant, Profile: Person with intellectual disability), Erzebet Foldesi (Honorary President, Budapest Association of Persons with Physical Disabilities, Member of the InclusiveSpaces consortium), Félix Hernando (iiAPA), Floridea di Ciommo (cambiaMO – InclusiveSpaces), Francisco Cremades (Architect and Accessibility Consultant), Gaelle Assemat ( VIC – InclusiveSpaces), Guadalupe Cantero (Participation in the development of inclusion and accessibility programs – iiAPA), Ignacio Salitias (Technical service consultant – physical paralysis), Isabel Prieto (Technical Architect – iiAPA), Iñigo Cobeta (Architect and Professor), José Antonio Cascales (Accessibility Director, Civil Engineer, Application in the inclusive accessible modality), Johanna Zambrano (cambiaMO – InclusiveSpaces), José Antonio Cascales (Accessibility Director, Civil Engineer, Application in the inclusive accessible modality), Juan Carlos Rodríguez Navarrete (iiAPA, Member of the InclusiveSpaces consortium), Julia Román Muzás (VIC – InclusiveSpaces, Member of the InclusiveSpaces consortium), Julio Pedrero (Technical service consultant, Profile: Carer of a person with a disability), Katerina Lampradopoulo (Postdoc Researcher, Communication Officer at the Electrical & Computer Engineering Department, University of Peloponnese, Member of the InclusiveSpaces consortium), Kathryn Bulanowski (Project Manager at European Passengers’ Federation, Member of the InclusiveSpaces consortium), Laura Jiménez Baños (Technical service consultant – intellectual disability, Profile: Person with intellectual disability), Laura María Cruce Vallés (Technical service consultant, Profile: Person with intellectual disability), Lore Labropoulos (VIC – InclusiveSpaces), Maria Luisa Miguel (Technical Architect, Deputy Director General – Ministry of Justice, Architect with a position of responsibility, Accessibility expert), María Amor (Architect specialized in hospitals), María Esmeralda Folgueira Flores (Carer of a person with intellectual disability / Technical service consultant, Profile: Carer of a person with a disability), María Gironza (Cazapeonzas – Cultural management. Accessibility in culture and education), Maria Tula (Urban planning with a gender perspective and sustainability), Marta Parra (Virai – Architect specialized in humanizing environments for vulnerable people), Mickael Burgos Lerit (VIC – Inclusive Spaces), Miguel Jaenicke (VIC – InclusiveSpaces, Member of the InclusiveSpaces consortium), Nicola Ortelli (Transportation Engineer at TPG | Statistical Modeling and Data Analysis, Member of the InclusiveSpaces consortium), Nieves Navarro (iiAPA – InclusiveSpaces), Pablo Muñoz (iiAPA – InclusiveSpaces), Patricia Soria (Technical service consultant, Profile: Person with intellectual disability), Pedro De Torres Dominguez (Technical service consultant, Profile: Person with intellectual disability), Pilar Vallés (Technical service consultant, Profile: Carer of a person with a disability), Rebeca Loarte (Technical service consultant, Profile: Person with intellectual disability), Rosalia Folgueria (Technical service consultant – intellectual disability, Profile: Person with intellectual disability), Rosa María Montero (Technical service consultant, Profile: Person with intellectual disability), Wandifadza M Chivaura (Project Officer at European Passengers’ Federation, Member of the InclusiveSpaces consortium), Xenia Karekla (Rail and Transport Laboratory at the National Technical University of Athens, Member of the InclusiveSpaces consortium).