Vista Access Architects were interviewed for an article "Access All Areas" by Robyn Willis of the Home magazine of the Daily Telegraph.
The aim of the article was to demonstrate that desiging for disability can deliver beautify spaces
One of our projects that received Livable Housing Platinum Level rating ( Architect Kennedy and Associates Architects) was fetaured in the article.
Vista Access Architects provided a pro-bono services for Bear Cottage which included a outdoor landscape design access audit through St. Patricks Estate designed by Marsden Architects. Bear Cottage is the only Children's hospice in NSW and is dedicated to caring for children with life-limiting conditions. Visit www.bearcottage.chw.edu.au
Farah Madon served as a Management Committee member of Penrith Disabilities Resource Center, joining PDRC as a management committee members in 2010 till 2019.
PDRC is funded by the Ageing, Disability and Home Care, Department of Human Services, (ADHC) to resource and support people with disabilities who live, work in, and/or utilise services based in the Penrith Local Government Area and/or surrounding areas. The service caters for the needs of people with all types of disabilities.
PDRC provides regional Advocacy, Information and Referral Service for people with all types of disabilities, their families, carers, advocates and other service providers.
Farah Madon has served as a Community representative of Penrith City Council's Access Committee since 2010.
The Access Committee is a formal committee of Council which provides advice to Council about access issues and promotes the inclusion of people with a disability as full members of the community. The Committee provides accessibility related feedback on major Development Applications and is also responsible for providing assistance to Council in the development of the Penrith Disability Inclusion Action Plan (DIAP) 2017-2021. The DIAP will steer Council’s actions to make Penrith City more accessible and inclusive for everyone, including people with disability, over the next five years.
Farah Madon has been a puppy raiser for Guide dogs NSW.
At eight weeks of age, Guide Dog puppies are placed in the community with volunteer Puppy Raisers. These families or individuals ensure that the new recruits get the best possible care, in a loving home environment. Puppy Raising is a 12 month commitment in which raisers are responsible for feeding and grooming, exercising their puppy daily, taking their puppy to Puppy Pre-School and socialisation days and teaching their puppy basic obedience skills like sit, stay and drop. If you would like to be a puppy raiser please contact Guide Dogs NSW
Women’s Community Shelters works with communities to establish new shelters, which provide short term emergency accommodation and support in a safe environment that enables homeless women to rebuild self-esteem and achieve control and fulfilment of their lives.
Vista Access Architects provided pro-bono Disability Access Services for the shelter in Penrith called "The Haven".
Macarthur Diversity Services Initiative (MDSI) is a not for profit charity based in Campbelltown for over 30 years. MDSI primarily works with migrant and refugee communities in the outer South West of Sydney. As a charity they also work with the most disadvantaged and marginalised mainstream communities throughout the Macarthur region. MDSI believes in a world where people matter, communities are connected and everyone is accepted.
Vista Access Architects provided pro-bono Disability Access Services for two projects for Macarther Diversity Services.
Grace’s Place - An initiative of Homicide Victims Support Group (HVSG) will provide support in a safe place where children, teenagers and their families grieving the death of someone they love through homicide, can share their experiences, receive counselling, be involved in therapeutic programs and learn life skills on how to survive the trauma without their loved one.
Vista Access Architects is providing pro-bono Disability Access Services for this project. As Access Consultants on the project, our focus has been to provide a high level of accessibility and inclusion from the concept design stage.
Nepean Disability Organisation (NADO) is a community-based charity and a Community Housing provider that supports people with disabilities, their families and carers in Western Sydney, including the Hawkesbury, Blue Mountains, Penrith suburbs and surrounding areas. NADO raises awareness of the rights, needs and abilities of people living with disabilities so that individuals can actively participate in the community and achieve their full potential.
Vista Access Architects provides pro-bono Disability Access related services on on-going NADO projects.
Luke Priddis Foundation aims to improve the lives of children with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorders). They provide services to help kids with ASD learn vital skills like how to talk, read, write, draw, and even how to play with other children. These skills give them a better chance at independence as they grow up.
Vista Access Architects provided pro-bono access consulting services and design input which included provision of an Adult size change table facility, a new lift and general accessibility through-out the facility.
Hearing Augmentation is required where an inbuilt amplification system is proposed in the following areas:
Also any screen or scoreboard associated with a Class 9b building capable of displaying public announcements must be capable of supplementing any public address system, other than a public address sytem used for emergency warning purposes only.
Options for hearing augmentation include,
Vista Access Architect's website has a FREE CALCULATOR FOR RECEIVERS to comply with the requirements of BCA 2016.
Additional information on Hearing Augmentation is provided in AS1428.5 - Design for access and mobility - Communication for people who are deaf or hearing impaired
Vista Access Architects receives regular inquires as to requirements for Accessible Car parking spaces for Class 3 developments such as Hotels, Motels, Group homes, Hostels etc.
The number of Accessible Car parking spaces for Class 3 developments depends on:
- The total number of the Car parking spaces provided in the development;
- The total number of SOUs (Sole occupancy units/ bedrooms) and
- The total number of Accessible Bedrooms as determined by BCA Table D3.1.
The calculations involve determining the Accessible SOU numbers through the BCA Table D3.1 and then multipying the total number of Car parking spaces by the percentage of the Accessible
SOUs/ Bedrooms to the total number of SOUs/ Bedrooms, with the answer taken to the next whole
figure.
Vista Access Architect's website offers a FREE Class 3 Accessible SOUs and Accessible Parking Calculator to simplify the process. Just enter the total number of SOUs/ Bedroom and the total number of Car parking spaces provided and the
Calculator will display the requirements for both, Accessible SOUs/ Bedrooms as well as the Accessible Car Parking spaces as required by the BCA 2016 for your project.
Contact us for the Accessibility requirements of your next project on admin@accessarchitects.com.au
You can also upload some preliminary drawings for your project to request an obligation free Fee Proposal from our website's CONTACT page.
Where Accessible toilets as required under the BCA (Building Code of Australia) do not meet the needs of all people with a disability, Changing Places facilities enable social inclusion for people with severe disabilities such as spinal injuries, spina bifida, motor neurone disease and multiple sclerosis amongst others that require more assistive technology and additional spatial requirements.
Only Accredited members of ACAA (Association of Consultants in Access Australia) who have undergone Changing Places design Training can certify a Changing places facility. We are pleased to announce that Farah Madon from Vista Access Architects is now fully Accredited to certify Changing Places (registration number CP006).
Vista Access Architects have previously designed 3 Adult changing facilities with height adjustable tables and ceiling hoist facilities at Ripples Penrith Swimming Center, Triangle Park on High Street in Penrith and East lane in St. Marys (under construction).
With the introduction of Changing Places Australia a higher level of amenity can be provided in addition to an Accessible toilet.
We can provide both; Architectural Design for the internal layout and Assessment cum Certification services for your Changing Places project.
For more information visit Changing places or Download Changing Places resource kit.
Contact us on admin@accessarchitects.com.au for your next Changing Places Project.
This design was based on the requirements of Council and based on Lift and Change facilities. Vista Access Architects are also qualified to provide design and certification as per Changing places Australia
Penrith City Council is a leader in promoting access for people with disabilities. This Adult Changing facility has an accessible toilet, an accessible hand wash basin and a full size height adjustable change table. For added convenience the facility also has been provided with a ceiling hoist with the capacity to access all areas of the facility.
This development is compliant with the requirements of AS4299- Adaptable Housing.
This development also achieved Platinum level Certification from LHA (Livable Housing Australia) which is the highest rating that is available under the LHA Scheme.
Client- Landcom (Previously know as UrbanGrowth NSW)
Project Architects and Photos Credit - Anthony Nolan, Kennedy Associates Architects
As Access Consultants and LHA Assessors on the project, our focus was on access and inclusion of people with Disabilities. The development not only complies with the minimum Access requirements of the Building Code of Australia but goes above and beyond to improve accessibility in general.
This development achieved Platinum level Certification from LHA (Livable Housing Australia) which is the highest rating that is available under the LHA Scheme.
Client- Landcom (Previously know as UrbanGrowth NSW)
Project Architects and Photos Credit - Anthony Nolan, Kennedy Associates Architects
This spectacular 55 storey tower symbolises the exhilarating rise and momentum of new Parramatta. The 5-star luxury hotel is designed in combination with studio, 1, 2 and 3 bedroom residences. It also features an open-air pool, a Spa Q, gourmet restaurants and the much talked about rooftop bar, Studio 54. It is anticipated that construction will commence in 2017
As the Access Consultants on the project our role was to ensure compliance with all the Accessibility regulations for all components of the building which also included a Heritage component. The development also features Adaptable units designed as per AS4299 and LHA (Livable Housing Australia) Silver level units to satisfy the SEPP 65 (State Environmental Planning Policy) requirements.
Special features of the house include the state of art amenities including ceiling hoist systems for bedrooms as well as bathroom and specialised bathing equipment.
We assisted in certifying the project to Platinum level Certification from LHA (Livable Housing Australia) which is the highest rating that is available under the LHA Scheme.
Client- Landcom (Previously know as UrbanGrowth NSW)
Project Architects and Photos Credit - Anthony Nolan, Kennedy Associates Architects
This development was for a 5 bedroom group home with shared amenity facilities. As Access Consultants and LHA Assessors on the project, our focus was on access and inclusion of people with Disabilities. The development not only complies with the minimum Access requirements of the Building Code of Australia but goes above and beyond to improve accessibility in general.
This development achieved Platinum level Certification from LHA (Livable Housing Australia) which is the highest rating that is available under the LHA Scheme.
Client- Landcom (Previously know as UrbanGrowth NSW)
Project Architects and Photos Credit - Anthony Nolan, Kennedy Associates Architects
Luminance Contrast is the amount of light reflected from one surface as compared to the amount of light reflected from another surface. Australian / New Zealand Standard AS/NZ 1428.4.1-2009 requires Luminance contrast in a range of 30% to 60% based on the type of building elements.
As a bare minimum for compliance with the BCA 2016, the following requirements apply:
- 30% luminance contrast to Signage, Doorways, Stairway Nosing strips, Accessible toilet seats, Lift buttons and integrated TGSIs (Tactile Ground Surface Indicators)
- Additional luminance contrast requirements apply to Discrete and Composite TGSIs. For example, 45% luminance contrast is required to Discrete TGSIs to the background, while 60% luminance contrast is required to Composite TGSIs (2 colours).
Luminance contrast is determined via on-site testing. However where LRV of 2 colours is know by means such as a fan deck, an indicative level of luminance contrast can be determined via our FREE Luminance Contrast Calculator.
Or Download our LRV Contrast app from the Google Play store or on Itunes for Apple devices.
