Regina Franca, who graduates next month with an MA in Architecture from the University’s Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design (DJCAD), says too often accessibility is an ‘afterthought’ in design.

The 26-year-old has cared for her mum since the age of 12, and says accessibility for disabled people needs to be fully integrated into design from the start of the process.

Regina’s mum, who has multiple sclerosis (MS), relies on support from Regina with both the physical and emotional impacts of the degenerative disease.

Using inspiration from her own lived experience, Regina has based her final-year project around accessibility-focused architecture design, which will be exhibited at DJCAD’s Art & Design Undergraduate Degree Show 2025.

Regina said: “Going places with my mum and seeing how she engages with spaces has made me very aware of the things we take for granted, as able-bodied people.

“For example, she might struggle to walk over the pavement material, use the stairs, walk uphill, or have to step over things.

“Lots of spaces don’t feel like they’ve been designed with accessibility in mind, it always feels like an afterthought.

“They might have added features that appear to be accessible, like a lift, but they haven’t created a space that’s comfortable or enjoyable for people with disabilities to visit.”

Regina’s exhibit contains designs based on retrofitting an existing Dundee sheltered housing complex, with a strong focus on integrated accessibility for people with disabilities.

She has considered everything from the larger-scaled objects such as ramps and elevators, to smaller details like the placement of a light switch.

She added: “We need more focus on creating engaging indoor spaces for disabled people, but it’s also about getting outdoor spaces right too.

“This means street design which is fully wheelchair accessible and has enough space for wheelchair users to move about freely, and community design that allows socialising to take place and encourages relationships to be formed.

“In my mum’s case, the psychological impact of having a disability is difficult for her to come to terms with – we need to have spaces that make people feel they have been considered equally.”

Regina lives with her mum in the Scottish Borders and commutes to Dundee for her studies.

She started at the University just as Covid hit, which allowed her to combine her commitments at home with her studies.

“The support from the University’s Student Services and my lecturers has been amazing, I couldn’t have done it without them,” she said.

“It was a deciding factor for me choosing to study at Dundee – that and the creative approach to architecture – and they’ve been so understanding the whole way.

“I’ve also built up a great support system, with my partner and friends, and always have someone to chat to if I need that.”

The Art & Design Undergraduate Degree Show 2025 will open to the public on Saturday 24 May and will run until Sunday 1 June. It is on each day from 10am to 4pm, except on Thursday 29 May when there will be a later closing time of 8pm.

Viewers can also access student work online via the Art & Design Undergraduate Degree Show webpage, which will fully launch on the days leading up to the exhibition opening date.

DJCAD has made efforts to ensure the vast majority of the show is accessible to disabled people. However, due to the physical constraints of the building, ten students are exhibiting in areas which can only be accessed via stairs or using a stair climber.

AccessAble audits have been carried out for both the Matthew Building and the Crawford Building.