Front cover of the report from the municipalities

Since 2005, 17 Norwegian municipalities have been involved in a national development project under the auspices of the Ministry of the Environment. They have been exploring and putting into practice universal design as a strategy for building local communities characterised by adequate accessibility, equality, participation and free choice for all. Now a comprehensive report has been compiled in which the municipalities share what they have learned with the rest of the country.

Together with Kristiansand municipality as the role model, the 16 pilot municipalities have found solutions to many issues relating to universal design. And their findings are now published in the report “Universal design as a municipal strategy – experience and results from the pilot municipality project 2005-2008”, available both as an illustrated booklet and in electronic format. The report is presently only available in Norwegian except for the first chapter which has been translated into English. 

A user manual for universal design
The report comprises a useful handbook for anyone working with universal design, or anyone interested in universal design principles in other contexts. It highlights key challenges facing Norwegian municipalities in their effort to create good, functional solutions for all members of society, and illustrates findings with a large number of examples. 

The 17 municipalities that have taken part in the project vary widely with regard to their size and defining characteristics, thus providing an excellent basis for other municipalities to find a relevant basis for comparison in connection with their own development activities. Experiences that cross-cut the project as a whole and general recommendations have been presented together in a separate chapter.

Seven main objectives
Another chapter is devoted to the systematic elaboration of seven main objectives of universal design efforts. Keywords here include cooperation across the municipal organisational structures, measures in the local community, cooperation with local councils for disabled persons, physical solutions and the need for greater insight.

The illustrated report from the Ministry of the Environment offers concrete examples that show the process by which the municipalities have identified and implemented universal solutions.

New knowledge
In a recent survey conducted by the Norwegian Association of Municipal Engineers municipal and county employees reported that they needed more expertise in universal design. The Ministry of the Environment hopes that the new report will serve as a source of information and inspiration, and will help to generate greater knowledge and understanding of universal design in day-to-day and planning activities.

A list of agencies, resource groups, advisory services, publications, etc., is provided at the back of the report.