SubscribeAmong the many talented experts this work introduces to me around the world is the unassuming Katia Espindolla (es-PIN-do-la) of São Luís, in the Brazilian state of Maranhão.
Trained in tourism she specialized in the Geography of Tourism. Her work has been almost completely devoted to Inclusive Tourism.
She recently lectured in Cuba, in Spain, and will present some of her research this week in Portugal.
Before graduation she proposed a project to revitalize the UNESCO-designated historic patrimony site of the old central São Luís, Maranhão as a destination for travelers with disabilities. This proposal has now become a reality which Katia will begin to tackle once she returns home in a few days. I invite readers to take an active part in contributing their knowledge to its success.
Design opportunities include creating wheelchair access without changing the facades of separate buildings that share three exterior walls. In some places these run as a unit for an entire block. Many of the buildings have no capacity to accommodate a normal-sized elevator. There are no internal doorways between buildings that would allow sharing of a single elevator between these 2-3 story structures.
In addition, the entire historic center is cobblestone pedestrian mall. As happens in many places around the world, the sidewalks become blocked to wheelchair passage by merchants' tables, chairs, and kiosks making what sidewalk ramps exist useless because the sidewalk itself is.
Currently researching and speaking at INVTUR 2010 in Aveiro, Portugal Katia is looking for exemplary best practices from around the world involving vertical and pedestrian circulation in historic settings. She also seeks design alternatives to physical access such as virtual tours or centralized interpretive centers with representative historical materials accessible to people with both physical and sensory disabilities.
If you wish to contribute to this project contact me at srains@oco.net or Katia Espindola (in Portuguese or Spanish) at katiaespindolla@hotmail.com .
A slide show of photos from the area by Tony Galvez:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tonygalvez/sets/72157603258211664/show/
A custom Google map of São Luís do Maranhão by Serafín Fernández M. Layola:
http://www.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&gl=us&ie=UTF8&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=106247914136727024359.00044d95009929dff950c
Trained in tourism she specialized in the Geography of Tourism. Her work has been almost completely devoted to Inclusive Tourism.
She recently lectured in Cuba, in Spain, and will present some of her research this week in Portugal.
Before graduation she proposed a project to revitalize the UNESCO-designated historic patrimony site of the old central São Luís, Maranhão as a destination for travelers with disabilities. This proposal has now become a reality which Katia will begin to tackle once she returns home in a few days. I invite readers to take an active part in contributing their knowledge to its success.
Design opportunities include creating wheelchair access without changing the facades of separate buildings that share three exterior walls. In some places these run as a unit for an entire block. Many of the buildings have no capacity to accommodate a normal-sized elevator. There are no internal doorways between buildings that would allow sharing of a single elevator between these 2-3 story structures.
In addition, the entire historic center is cobblestone pedestrian mall. As happens in many places around the world, the sidewalks become blocked to wheelchair passage by merchants' tables, chairs, and kiosks making what sidewalk ramps exist useless because the sidewalk itself is.
Currently researching and speaking at INVTUR 2010 in Aveiro, Portugal Katia is looking for exemplary best practices from around the world involving vertical and pedestrian circulation in historic settings. She also seeks design alternatives to physical access such as virtual tours or centralized interpretive centers with representative historical materials accessible to people with both physical and sensory disabilities.
If you wish to contribute to this project contact me at srains@oco.net or Katia Espindola (in Portuguese or Spanish) at katiaespindolla@hotmail.com .
A slide show of photos from the area by Tony Galvez:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tonygalvez/sets/72157603258211664/show/
A custom Google map of São Luís do Maranhão by Serafín Fernández M. Layola:
http://www.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&gl=us&ie=UTF8&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=106247914136727024359.00044d95009929dff950c
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This is very exciting! I will start paying attention to historic sites' accessibility, though I don't think I'll be visiting any internationally famous ones any time soon.
Thanks for sharing the info, Scott.