Perception aims at designing inclusive user-friendly environments.
We also specialise in auditing and assessing existing buildings and proposed building plans to ensure that they are accessible, safe, functional, user-friendly and comply with the necessary laws and building regulations with regard to equality and accessibility.
We are closely affiliated with The National Council for Persons with Disabilities (NCPDSA) and the QuadPara Association of South Africa (QASA)
When designing a building it is imperative to understand the primary function of the building (WHAT the building is needed for), the physical context upon which it is to be built (WHERE) and to understand the diversity of the users of the environment (WHO). These three aspects need to be analysed to a much greater extent when attempting to create an inclusive environment. This is because the target subject is a very broad spectrum of people of different classes, backgrounds, abilities, and disabilities such that the diversity of the users is far greater. Where the architect aims for inclusivity the design needs to ensure that the building is user-friendly for all its users. The principles of Universal Design, which highlight ways in which both products and environments can be designed to be easily used by all, is an excellent starting point to understanding how limitations can be catered for in a design which will suit as broad a spectrum of users as possible. It is, however, unfortunately not a complete solution and principles for each application need to be derived from it.) The local context needs to be included in the analysis. WHAT, WHO and WHERE are the key aspects of any building design process.
Based on this, Perception Architects uses a set of principles shown below to govern and improve the design process.
(Source: Thesis: Alexandra an Enlightenment, by Jason Mazaham, Master of Architecture, University of the Witwatersrand, 2018)
