Evaluation of the historical center of Braga - Portugal from the universal design principles

Abstract

The objective of the research was to conduct an Evaluation of the pedestrian area of the historical center of the city of Braga, Portugal, from the principles of universal design, specifically equitable, flexible, simple and intuitive use, easy perception information, tolerance for error, minimum physical effort, dimensional spaces for access and comprehensive use. Characterized as descriptive, data were collected from field observation, photographic register and open interviews with passers-by, subsequently treated and categorized for qualitative analysis. The results pointed to positive aspects of accessibility, such as suitability for the walking areas and pedestrian circulation, and negative, such as the presence of obstacles on sidewalks, non-compliance ramps for access to buildings and low support for the hearing impaired and visual.