Designing with, not for: Empowering people with a learning disability through inclusive architecture

Kasem, Menatalla ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0001-7650-661X 2025. Designing with, not for: Empowering people with a learning disability through inclusive architecture. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University. Item availability restricted.

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Abstract

Historically, people with a learning disability were spoken of rather than spoken with. Consequently, building codes and regulations do not adequately address their needs, the architectural industry does not fully understand their accessibility requirements, and they are rarely active participants in architectural research. Thus, this thesis aimed to propose architectural insights that alleviate the barriers people with a learning disability face in the built environment. This was achieved by actively engaging people with a learning disability through a personalised co-design research process, characterised by various enabling measures. This inclusive methodology not only enriched the research but also provided a replicable framework for inclusive architectural research practices. In this thesis, participatory action research served as the overall methodological framework, centring on the participants' perspectives. Within this framework, ethnography was utilised to offer deeper insights into participants’ lived experiences. The research design included four stages. The first was the Scoping stage, which aimed to understand how people with a learning disability use different buildings in Cardiff and collaboratively identify a case study through interviews (n=10). The second stage, Exploring, involved exploring the architectural barriers faced by people with a learning disability through walking interviews in a shopping centre in Cardiff (n=18). The third, Synthesising, focused on validating the identified barriers through focus groups (n=12). Finally, the Co-design stage involved proposing solutions through co-design workshops (n=14). Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis, integrating the researcher’s insights and reflections from employment in a self-advocacy organisation. The originality of this research stems from two main contributions: firstly, the methodological framework, which enabled the active and inclusive participation of people with a learning disability in architectural research. These methodological insights included novel findings, such as the value of employing a disabled facilitator, collaboration and employment with a self-advocacy organisation in architectural research and the impact of fieldwork location. Secondly, the foundational architectural insights, which encompassed both intangible and tangible aspects, addressing the critical gap regarding the needs of people with a learning disability. The architectural insights also included novel insights, such as holistic accessibility awareness, the utilisation of coping mechanisms as a source of creativity, and the synergy between different architectural insights. Although this research may not immediately address the gap in regulations, it was complemented by several initiatives that may have a future impact, ultimately fostering more inclusive buildings.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Date Type:	Completion
Status:	Unpublished
Schools:	Schools > Architecture
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	13 November 2025
Last Modified:	13 Nov 2025 12:03
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/182382

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