Disability Meets Architecture
Type: Podcast
Year: 2025/6
Location: Online. Episodes are jointly available through Contra* and DisOrdinary Dialogues podcast series on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
DisOrdinary Architecture Contributors: Jos Boys and Scar Barclay
Critical Design Lab contributors: Aimi Hamraie and Paul DeFazio
Podcast contributors: Anthony Clarke, Beatrice Adler-Bolton, Jeff Kasper, Karen Braitmayer, Micha Frazer-Carroll, Natasha Trotman and Samir Pandya
Funding: The Graham Foundation
The DisOrdinary Architecture Project collaborated with US-based Critical Design Lab to co-create a podcast miniseries, to enable conversations that cross boundaries between architecture, disability studies and related disciplines; and across theory and practice beyond the conventions of conventional access. Over the project, we were looking to draw out some productive frictions - not as underlying conflicts in attitudes or approaches that can shut down a discussion, but as something generative of further inquiry, curiosity, and collaboration.
The episodes:
Project Intro: Round Tower with Jos Boys and Aimi Hamraie
Conversation 1: Access Washing with Karen Braitmayer and Natasha Trotman
Conversation 2: Care with Teeth with Anthony Clarke and Jeff Kasper
Conservation 3: Who Counts with Micha Frazer-Carroll and Samir Pandya
Conversation 4: Antifascism with Beatrice Adler-Bolton, Paul DeFazio and Scar Barclay
Conversation 5: Takeaways with Aimi Hamraie, Jos Boys, Scar Barclay and Paul DeFazio
A new generation of disability scholars, activists, and designers is developing innovative approaches to accessible built environments, beyond demanding regulatory compliance or conventional access consultancy. Unfortunately, these ideas and approaches continue to have little impact on architectural education and practice.
Yet, this field, known as Critical Access Studies, has developed rich terminologies and cutting-edge design practices, both of which could transform the ways that architects understand why access matters. Going beyond making accessible adjustments to built space, this field is questioning the ideological, epistemological and practical underpinnings of access.
The Disability Meets Architecture project builds on other activities by both partners, including:
The Critical Access Primer by Critical Design Lab — with summaries, commentaries, and audio-visual materials on critical access
Labs for Liberation Summer School (June 2025) by the Critical Design Lab
Many More Parts than M! Re-imagining disability, access and inclusion beyond compliance by The DisOrdinary Architecture Project
DMA aims to develop an online repository of conversations, that can richly inform and support more inclusive and accessible design practices.
You can access the podcast episodes and show notes on our resource page here
