Access to Heritage Buildings

Photo of Frida Kahlo’s personal working studio at her house, Frida’s wheelchair is between her art tools and an unfinished painting that shows some fruits that are popular to eat in Mexico.

Heritage buildings form part of the collective identity in our cities and societies. Their value cannot be defined only by their material aspects, but also by their historical significance.

Article 30 in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities recognises the right of persons with disabilities to enjoy access to cultural facilities including monuments and sites of great cultural importance. Achieving this requires us to assess their current levels of accessibility, and develop action plans to improve them, when necessary

However, at some stage, relevant stakeholders may find difficulties in conciliating the accessibility requirements while preserving the cultural value of a heritage building.

Frida Kahlo’s house Case Study

In most cases, heritage buildings were not originally designed to be accessible to everyone. However, they exist as a valuable reference for understanding our history and identity and therefore should be accessible to all members of society.

For example, the house where the world-famous artist, Frida Kahlo, lived is now a popular Museum in Mexico City:

Frida Kahlo’s house reflects an aesthetic of the birth of contemporary Mexico’s visual identity through the artist’s eyes.
Juan O’Gorman a prominent Mexican Architect and son of Irish immigrants designed many of the added features to Frida’s house.
However, Frida’s House was constructed in the early 1900s, and it was not originally designed with accessibility in mind.
Frida Kahlo herself was a woman with a disability, which is part of her life story that has become a worldwide story of resilience.

Frida Kahlo’s house is an example an important heritage site that would need to consider designing new strategies to ensure its increased accessibility. For example, we need to consider the following:

The site was originally designed to be a dwelling in the 1900’s and later became a museum.
The architectural value of the house combines Frida Kahlo’s vision of Mexico and Juan O’Gorman’s unique architectural expression.
The house also embodies Frida Kahlo’s life experience as a worldwide famous artist with a disability, an experience that is embodied in Frida’s Art.
How can we maintain the originality and artistic expression while making it more accessible?
How can we make all elements of the visitor experience accessible?

Ensuring Universal Design in Heritage Experiences

Ensuring access for all to heritage sites goes beyond just improving physical access, but also developing inclusive and accessible strategies to promote its cultural value and provide an informed experience to all visitors.

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