Are you sure that the venue is accessible, that your communication can be understood by everyone and that it does include all the relevant information? The workshop organised by “Progetto il seme” at Expo Gate in Milan, on the 3^rd of  December  2014 has given plenty of ideas to event organisers and tour operators, with its numerous interventions on architectural barriers and communication, as well as guidelines on what to do before, during and after Expo, with good practice examples. During the round table on the theme of permanent disability, Isabella Menichini from the City of Milan has delivered a speech. More details on the subject can be found in the attached article by Stefano Borgato, from Superando of 2^nd of December 2014.

The Architecture for All working group of UIA - International Union of Architects - after Copenhagen has met in Malta (La Valletta, November 2014). The next meeting will be held in Milan at the end of May, during Expo: public conferences on the themes of accessible architecture and tourism will be organised.

Here is how the director of the review, prof. Sunil Bathia, introduces the issue: It is matter of both honor and pleasure for us to put forth our ninth yearly tenth monthly issue of October 2014 Vol-9, No-10 special issue with editor from Italy. It is our tenth issue of declared ‘A year of 2014 women Designers.’ Arch.  Isabella Tiziana Steffan is the Guest Editor who has vast experience in concept of Design For All”. She “has been one of the first people to work on the theme of the elimination of architectural barriers, with her B.Sc dissertation on this subject (1981), and through her collaboration with the famous Associated Architects “Ornati-Cosulich. Later on, her active participation in IIDD Italian Institute for Design and Disability since its foundation (1994) has gradually shifted her focus on a more positive concept: that of Design for All, i.e. the planning of usable environments, equipments and services - in total autonomy – by people with diversified needs and abilities. We are fortunate that person with such great passion for ‘Design for All’ is Guest Editor of this special issue. She has worked hard for establishing her name in concept of Design For All and her journey to achieve her presence in Design For All is truly reflected in this issue. We are admirer of her intense passion for promoting the social cause of Design For All“.

The Design Forum was held at Palazzo Lombardia in Milan; it a great place to meet, discuss and converse with the political and economic community about development and the revitalisation of strategic sectors for Italy: Industrial Design, Architecture, Interior Design, Fashion, Digital Design. The event, open to a B2B audience consisting of entrepreneurs, architects, designers and communicators, draws its keywords from "contaminations" with the world of design: #usability, #ergonomics, #materials, #function, #aesthetics, #brand. Isabella Steffan has given a speech during the executive circle "Design thinking: user experience as a boost for collaborative innovation".

The adoption of an ergonomic approach in the design of tasks and in task management is a winning factor to improve performance and achieve wellbeing at work, since it aims to seek and maintain a balanced relationship in the interaction between man and work environment. The purpose of the conference, organised by SIE Liguria-Lombardy with AIAS at Politecnico di Milano on the 30^th of September, was to illustrate the methods and tools that ergonomics can provide in order to effectively address the risks generated by excessive mental fatigue and to create conditions of actual wellbeing at work, also in relation to aging workers. The former regional President of SIE – Isabella Steffan – has intervened on the theme of ergonomics and accessibility in workplaces.

The XXV World  Congress of the International Union of Architects (UIA) was held in Durban, South Africa, from the 3rd to the 7th August 2014. The theme “Architecture Otherwhere”, gave African architects the possibility to showcase their contributions to world architecture and city development (www.uia2014durban.org/about_the_event.htm). The UIA-Work Programme “Architecture for All” (AfA), that had launched the international Award ”Friendly Spaces Accessible to All” (www.uia.archi/en/exercer#.U_9Amhwk974), whose winners were announced during the Congress, organised Special Guest Lectures, a Dance Performance, a Round Table, and an Art Workshop, open to the general public. Isabella Steffan gave presentations as a delegate of the Order of Architects of Milano, Italy and as a member of the UIA Region l AfA Work Group.

The XXV Congress of the International Union of Architects (UIA) was held in Durban, South Africa, from the 3th to the 7th of August 2014. Isabella Steffan has given a presentation on accessibility and heritage sites (representing the Order of PCC Architects of Milan); she has participated in the round table “Architecture for All – Finding better ways to design inclusively” and as a member of the jury of the award ”Friendly Spaces Accessible to All” 2014 for UIA - Architecture for All WG Region 1 – Western Europe. The finalists have been awarded during the congress. 

Our latest ECA document "Design for All in Progress - from theory to practice. ECA 2013" has become quite popular. The Italian version has now been published on several Web portals:
Website of MIBACT, the Italian Ministry of Culture and Tourism:
www.valorizzazione.beniculturali.it/it/notizie-sp-428210175/644-eca-2013.html
Website of ENAT:
www.accessibletourism.org/?i=enat.en.news.1583
Website of COIN:
www.sociale.it/2014/05/28/eca-2013-design-for-all-una-societa-inclusiva-disegnata-sui-bisogni-di-tutti/
Website of Superabile:
www.superabile.it/web/it/CANALI_TEMATICI/Senza_Barriere/Soluzioni_Progettuali/Panorama_Internazionale/info-1449462679.html

Isabella Steffan led the laboratory "Accessible Tourism" in the framework of the Degree Course in Tourism Science and Local Community at Università degli Studi di Milano - Bicocca, Department of Sociology and Social Research. The laboratory aimed to develop professional skills in the perspective of inclusive hospitality for the widest range possible of tourists. The laboratory was enriched by the participation of different accessibility experts like Franco Bomprezzi (Ledha - Association for the Rights of People with Disability), Giovanni Ferrero (Council for the Disadvantaged People of Turin), Franco Lisi (Institute of the Blinds in Milan), Barbara Calcinati (Italian Organisation for the Deaf) and Marco Rasconi (Italian Association against Muscular Dystrophy).

The Rotary Club Catania Duomo 150 has launched a series of actions to raise public awareness on the participation of people with disabilities - not only motor but also sensory and intellectual disabilities -  to public events. Among the many initiatives, the conference "Milan Expo 2015. The value of accessibility. Opportunities for the territory, experiences and perspectives”. The conference was attended by tour operators and two international experts of the Lombardy Region: Isabella Steffan and Anna Maria Ravagnan, who illustrated the innovative and groundbreaking experiences that give everybody the opportunity to visit cultural and landscape heritage. 

Isabella Steffan, lecturer at the laboratory on Accessible Tourism at Università degli Studi di Milano – Bicocca, participated in the meeting promoted by the Municipality of Milan “Milano, una città che diventa accessibile… a partire da EXPO 2015” – “Milan, the city becomes accessible… starting from EXPO 2015” at Casa dei Diritti.

Article for Il giornale dell’Ingegnere n.3, March 2014, focus Expo, page 2, Ed. Quine srl, Milan.

Isabella Steffan, lecturer at the laboratory on Accessible Tourism at Università degli Studi di Milano – Bicocca, participated in the meeting promoted by the Municipality of Milan “Milano, una città che diventa accessibile… a partire da EXPO 2015” – “Milan, the city becomes accessible… starting from EXPO 2015” at Casa dei Diritti.

Conference held by Isabella Steffan for the Workshop “Cities for All. Accessibilità e Fruibilità nei luoghi di interesse culturale” - “Cities for All. Accessibility and usability within Heritage Sites” (archh. proff. Benente, Azzolino, Lacirignola), Laboratory of Built Environment Analysis, Politecnico di Torino, Department of Architecture and Design – Turin.

Conference held by Isabella Steffan for the laboratory Design 2 (arch prof. Spadolini), Università degli Studi di Genova, Degree Course in Industrial Design L4.

Article for Il giornale dell’Ingegnere n.2, February 2014, page 23, Ed. Quine srl, Milan.