BCIT Tall Timber Student Housing is Rick Hansen Gold Certified

The BCIT Tall Timber Student Housing building has added to its list of awards with a Rick Hansen Gold Certification.

Rick Hansen is a unique accessibility certification that is based upon the user experience of people with varying disabilities affecting their mobility, vision, and hearing. The certification covers every aspect of a building’s design from access to interior facilities like washrooms and the building’s emergency systems.

Tall Timber Student Housing scored 84.2% overall with particularly strong scores for the interior services and environment, access to the building, and wayfinding and signage inside. Some of the accessible features are:

• Accessible entry doors with power openers
• Highly legible signage, supported by tactile information
• Elevators easily operable with no complex controls
• Accessible and easily usable handrails.
• Accessible toilet and washroom facilities
  

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  Examples of Accessible Features

Student kitchen with accessible appliances	Signage showing high colour contrast and simple language	Accessible student bathroom

Jana Foit, Principal at Perkins&Will explains, “We set out to create a building that prioritised the student experience. This meant considering thermal comfort in suites and common areas, access to natural daylight and views to connect with the outside world. But it also meant designing for accessibility. The Rick Hansen Accessibility Certification provided a template for the design of everything from accessible washrooms and kitchens to access routes and building furnishings, which are all part of the finished building.”

Natalka Lubiw, BCIT’s Director of Facilities Development explains the importance of incorporating accessibility into BCIT’s buildings. “We have a diverse student community, and it is important that our buildings reflect that. The design team for Tall Timber Student Housing worked to incorporate accessible and inclusive elements in all aspects of the design from exterior landscaping to fully accessible suites on every floor.

Going through certification with the Rick Hansen Foundation is a great recognition of that work but also helps us learn so we make sure future projects meet the highest accessibility standards.”

Simon Lam, BCIT’s Director, Respect, Diversity, and Inclusion comments: “This certification reflects BCIT’s commitment to advancing accessibility across our campuses. Through our Accessibility Plan, we are identifying and removing barriers so students can fully access learning, services, and opportunities to succeed.”