In honor of Disability Pride Month, Lund Opsahl welcomed staff and community members for Design for All: Inclusive Design in the Built Environment, a panel discussion exploring how the built environment can be more welcoming to all people, regardless of ability.

We were honored to host industry leaders Kari Thorsen, Principal at ZGF; Candace Field, Accessibility Program Manager at Port of Seattle; and Clayton Beaudoin, Principal at Site Workshop. Together, they shared insights on creating spaces that are accessible, welcoming, and sustainable.

Key Takeaways:

1. Inclusive design benefits everyone
   Kari Thorsen emphasized that accessible design is not only for people with disabilities. It improves spaces for all users. Drawing from her work in healthcare, she shared a story about a patient who didn’t feel heard during doctor-parent conversations, which was in large part because of the way the room was arranged. The experience underscored a core question at the heart of inclusive design: How can we design spaces so everyone feels seen and heard? After all, who hasn’t felt overlooked at some point? Wouldn’t we all want to feel heard?
2. A competitive landscape can drive positive change
   Candace Field highlighted the success of the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport’s sensory room and how learning from other airports has helped improve it. She pointed out that competition between airports is a surprising but powerful motivator for accessibility improvements, encouraging innovation that ultimately benefits all travelers.
3. Inclusive design should be part of the conversation from day one
   Clayton Beaudoin spoke about his work on Pathways Park, a radically inclusive public space in northeast Seattle. He shared how early and sustained community engagement, particularly with people with disabilities, shaped the project’s direction. He also reflected on a simple but powerful question: Have you ever felt like you didn’t belong in a public space? The universality of that experience is what makes inclusive design essential.

Thank you to our incredible panelists for joining us and sharing their expertise, experiences, and insights.