The key to accessible buildings

Van Kan has a very clear vision of what is needed to achieve this. "Builders, designers and business owners should consider accessibility as a quality upgrade for all visitors, not just disabled people."

Stairs, thresholds, protruding objects: a building has many obstacles that pose a real danger to the elderly or visually impaired. So it is important to warn visitors when they approach such an obstacle. Christian van Kan, a specialist in paint for road markings in a previous life, made this mission his own after visiting a trade fair in England. There he came across tactile guide plates made of resin. Van Kan: "I first sold outdoor solutions, until I realized that you have the same concerns inside. That's why I developed tactile studs for indoor applications. The modified underside of the studs allows for two methods of bonding: on the one hand, they are covered with a self-adhesive tape, and on the other hand, a modified structural adhesive ensures a durable bond. This unique combination simultaneously results in strong impact resistance and shear and wring resistance." After previous versions in composite, the studs are now also available in aluminum, stainless steel or brass. In this way, they best meet the functional and aesthetic needs of the target audience and building owners.

Putting yourself in the shoes of the visually impaired

There are, of course, standards and regulations governing where and how designers should provide such applications, especially near stairs. According to Van Kan, however, it is even more important to be able to put oneself in the shoes of a visually impaired person, a scattered person or an elderly person who is panicking. "You have to provide the right tools in the right place to make the information relevant and intuitive to the user," Van Kan said. "Think of people who don't watch where they walk and fall. Our studs can be compared to a handrail. They are not crucial for everyone, but they make the environment much safer for those who need them."

Tactile guide lines

VIAKAN also stocks tactile guide lines for the blind. Where studs indicate a possible danger, such lines provide an aid with which blind people can orient themselves. For example, residents of residential care centers often have problems finding the exit in reception areas. Indeed, they have difficulty adjusting to sudden bright light variations. Like the studs, the guide lines are available in composite material or aluminum and benefit from VIAKAN's major asset: the patented double bonding system.

Not being satisfied with 'as good as'

The new Flemish Government Administrative Center in Brussels, the UZ in Ghent, the new headquarters of Créagora in
Namur, the European Parliament and the Council of Europe in Brussels, several museums, residential care centers, stores of the H&M chain and many bank branches: these are just a few of the many references that VIAKAN can take advantage of. Unfortunately, building owners still have no natural reflex to improve building accessibility with tactile studs or guide lines. Van Kan: "My biggest competitors are those who end up doing nothing or providing only 'half-and-half' work on accessibility. All too often designers just do something for appearances' sake, such as only equipping the main staircase with signage. We'll deal with the rest in the future," they say. But for a blind person, a "so-so-good-as-order approach" is an added handicap. Moreover, our tactile warning buttons and guide lines are very easy to install, both during the site phase and in already opened buildings, without hindering people or blocking access during the works."    

For more information, www.viakan.be or +32 (0)2 331 25 63.