REHABILITATION / TRAINING CENTRE FOR THE PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED IN EDO STATE "A design environment to reduce the effects of disability to the physically challenged"

Abstract

Disabled persons have always existed in communities the world over and have often been relegated to the background, often denied access to basic human rights such as education, access to public buildings and most especially the right to employment. However, this trend is changing, thanks in part to efforts from voluntary organization and new developments in the fields of technology and medicine. More disabled persons are surviving through childhood to adulthood and old age and arises a need for them to become integrated into the community. Unfortunately, the community has created barriers within the built environment as well as in the economic sector which impede the disabled persons' progress. Some effects are being made by Governments and organizations but it is clear that disabled persons have to be trained. Training is best undertaken in ,1 rehabilitation centre where all aspects of training could be taken care of This project is a proposal for the design of one such centre for male and female, physically and sensory impaired adults and adolescents from all states of the Federation This study is needed to compliment the technical input to making these people responsible member of the society as such improving the image of our society. The centre is to be developed by the Federal Ministry of Culture and society welfare and is located in Benin City site, and services Scheme, Edo State The centre is meant to train the disabled persons in vocational studies such as handicraft, sewing as well as some amount of formal and adult education. The needs of the different users i.e the trainees, the staff and the community at large, have to be identified as well as the other general requirements and specific design requirements. On the basis of this information, concept based on integration or the disabled individual through participation in social interaction was developed into the design proposal. In this proposal a hierarchy of activities spaces e \ ill be created and linked.