Accessibility in the City Park
Equal access is one of the most fundamental aspects of the renewal of the City Park. This applies to both the park and the institutions located there. The architects and the operator, Városliget Zrt., seek to ensure that no one – living with any form of impairment – suffers any form of disadvantage when using the buildings and park elements constructed or renewed within the framework of the Liget Budapest Project.
The approximately 120-page accessibility concept, drawn up during the planning phase of the Liget Budapest Project, was developed including the needs expressed during consultations and forums with stakeholder organisations. During this process, the architects examined a series of questions, recommendations and opinions consisting of some 800 elements and incorporated 95 percent of these into their designs. During the implementation of the designs, the engineers and contractors adhered to the suggestions; moreover, the completed project elements were tested with the involvement of members of the public before their opening and any necessary modifications based on their comments were made on-site.
Cooperation with the Access4you team
The buildings implemented within the framework of the Liget Budapest project were designed in accordance with modern accessibility standards to be accessible and usable by everyone. In addition to the above-mentioned consultations with organisations, we were assisted in this work by Acces4you, a Hungarian start-up team. We are proud to say that the vast majority of our buildings and park attractions have been certified ‘Silver’. (link: Access4you helyszínek | Access4you) There is a separate parking space for vehicles of disabled drivers in the easily accessible Museum Underground Parking facility. The attractions and buildings of the park can be seamlessly accessed by visually impaired people thanks to the tactile signs set along the junction points indicated in the park. In accordance with 21st-century accessibility requirements, all the toilets in the City Park were built with separate accessible functions (WC and nursing room).
Accessible walks in the City Park
The renewed section of the park already meets the various legal requirements and expectations in regard to accessibility. The winner of the landscape architecture competition for the renewal of the park, Garten Studio, and Városliget Zrt. had numerous consultations with the relevant NGOs and institutions. This resulted in a safe, modern park that will continue to develop and which fully complies with accessibility requirements. Whether you are a wheelchair user, you are with a pram or are visually impaired, it’s safe to move around the already renewed park areas as they have easy-to-walk surfaces, clear signs placed at the right height to facilitate easy orientation, and, of course, tactile lanes that have been placed on the walking surfaces.
It is important that in addition to the usual accessibility features (lifts, ramps etc.) the roads and walkways are paved with cut stone and stabilised gravel. The gravel covering is a water-permeable adhesive layer, which helps prevent slipping and tripping. The roads are usually 1.8 metres wide, with their minimum width being 1.5 metres, which is helpful for both the disabled and for people with prams. It is worth pointing out that during the planning process, the category of ‘people with limited mobility’ did not only include the disabled, but also mothers with prams, or the elderly, young children, shorter people, and overweight ones, i.e. people who have difficulty getting around.
The Sensory Garden has been renewed
Thanks to the Liget Budapest Project, a special part of the park, the Sensory Garden, has also been renewed. It has been made more accessible, with modern equipment installed and the new plants providing tactile and fragrance experiences for the visually impaired. In addition, the playground equipped with special features is renovated and expanded, which seems to be greatly appreciated by the children who use it. The garden continues to be enclosed and available for use by the blind and visually impaired without restrictions. Institutions for the blind regularly organise events for both visually impaired adults and children in this safe environment.
Integrated fun in the Main Playground of the City Park
The principle of equal access was also adhered to in the design of the City Park’s Main Playground: some of the playground elements have a special, integrated design, making them suitable for both healthy and disabled children. Our objective is for the whole park and all of its facilities to cater to social needs, thus, for example, toys and equipment should convey the value of sustainability, equal opportunities and the integration of non-typical peers, such as people with disabilities. Good examples of this are a 75-centimetre-high sandbox complementing the sandpit to serve the needs of children using wheelchairs, as well as a wide slide accommodating several children, a special swing (e.g. with body support) placed between the swings, spring toys fitted with a reclining surface, and wheelchair-accessible roundabouts.
Integrated sport in the Városliget Sports Centre
When the sports centre was constructed, a special effort was made to design all the new tracks, sports equipment and facilities to best cater to equal access so that disabled people and those with mobility issues can safely use them. The two Teqball tables – a Hungarian invention that is becoming increasingly popular all over the world – available in the sports centre are also suitable for integrated sports. The comfort of the users of the sports facilities is provided by women’s, men’s and accessible changing rooms as well as drinking fountains.
Integrated events for families in the House of the Hungarian Millennium
Among the Liget Budapest Project’s own institutions, the House of the Hungarian Millennium plays a key role in ensuring equal access. The institution also contributes to fostering positive attitudes among children towards other children with special needs through awareness-raising activities. On their integrated Family Sundays, children have been able to meet the NEO Hungarian Assistance Dog Association, and gain an insight into the lives of autistic people thanks to the Mars Foundation, and get a similar insight into the lives of people with impaired hearing thanks to the Hungarian National Association of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing