28 students from the School of Architecture of the University of Navarra have participated in a project to create a fire evacuation system adapted to blind people. The initiative is part of subject 'Inclusive Design', which is taught for the first time this year to 4th year students of Degree at design.

For two weeks, the students took part in practical workshops to learn more about the obstacles faced by a person with a disability. "The purpose is that, during these 15 days, the students are aware of these difficulties and, from there, they can develop a suitable evacuation system," explains César Martín, the teacher in charge of the subject.

Among other experts, the students have received the visit of Carmen Fernández, technical architect and member of the ONCE Foundation, who has insisted on the need to understand accessibility as a quality of the built environment: "Universal accessibility is a condition that environments, processes, goods, products and services must meet". Fernández said that the objects or instruments, tools and devices used in everyday life must be understandable and practicable "by all people in conditions of safety and comfort and in the most autonomous and natural way possible". After the talk, the students carried out exercises that allowed them to see the importance of Braille labeling in order to identify different objects.

They also had the opportunity to participate in an activity organized by Raúl Oscariz and Antonio de la Iglesia, members of the Navarra Fire Department. During the exercise, the students had to walk through the corridors of the School blindfolded, the only financial aid sense of touch and hearing at the same time noises and screams, typical of a critical status . "Our intention is to transmit to them the sensations that are perceived during an evacuation in plenary session of the Executive Council fire -explains de la Iglesia-; to immunize them for an emergency status in an unknown room; to make them experience loneliness and the difficulty to orient themselves".

Daniel Elizalde, 26, from Pamplona, is in his 4th year at design in the 'Services' modality . In his opinion, the subject of 'Inclusive Design' "is completely focused on Username with disabilities, with the goal to promote their integration". Saioa Erviti, 21 years old and a native of Ultzama, expresses herself along the same lines: "At the beginning I was totally disoriented until I was able to situate myself, feeling the walls, the columns, and little by little I was able to recognize the environment", she says.

The students will present their projects on November 8 at the same school.