Last summer, the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics Games took place in Paris. The goal of the French Olympic Committee was to rely as much as possible on existing infrastructure. However, new sports venues and living spaces were still created to accommodate athletes from around the world and their supporters. One example is the athletes' village, which was designed and built specifically for this event but intended to remain useful afterward. Located in Seine-Saint-Denis, near Paris, the village will house up to 6,000 residents and an equal number of employees starting in 2025, spread across 130 acres. As a symbol of social and environmental innovation, this site must serve as a model of inclusion.
To do so, In partnership with the French Olympic Committee and Solidéo, the project manager for the site, Okeenea Group developed a concept for a tactile, sound, and visual orientation table to help people navigate the space. Placing universal accessibility and quality of life at the core of our approach, we aimed to go beyond mere compliance with standards and regulations, by integrating sensitivity to accessibility issues through different criteria such as considering the needs of the entire population, addressing various perceptual needs, seamlessly fitting into pedestrian pathways and fostering a positive connection to the evolving community.
Over an 18-month participatory design phase, our teams applied universal design principles to create an innovative and inclusive urban signage tool. The outcome of this work allows everyone, with or without disabilities, to easily find their way around the space.
About the speaker
Sylvain Denoncin
Sylvain Denoncin is a French accessibility expert. An international speaker, he has been sharing his expertise in wayfinding and mobility assistive technologies for 15 years.
A specialist in standards, particularly ISO and accessibility guidelines, he works alongside AFNOR, the French organization responsible for standardization.
For six years, he served as President of AFPAPH (French Association of Professionals for Accessibility to People with Disabilities), which brings together up to 60 stakeholders in the field. He is currently serving as the association’s Vice President.
He also chairs the Okeenea Group, which encompasses several verticals (building, technology, and digital), a leading French company in accessibility and inclusion.
Key Details
- Date: Tuesday, December 10, 2024
- Time: 12:00 p.m. EST
- Location: Online on Zoom Webinar. The link will be shared upon registering through Eventbrite and in the days leading up to the event. Closed captioning will be provided.
- Type: IHCD Global Webcast
- Price: Free