August 6, 2007 — Chicago’s Access Living Headquarters and the two leaders who helped make it possible are receiving the Paralyzed Veterans of America’s 2007 Barrier-Free America Award.
The Barrier-Free America Award honors and promotes leadership, innovation and action in the architectural and design communities in advancing accessibility — an advance that improves everyone’s quality of life, says the organization.
This year’s winners, Marca Bristo, President and CEO of Access Living of Metropolitan Chicago, and John H. Catlin, FAIA, Partner in LCM Architects, are leaders in combining Accessible/Universal Design and Green Design.
For example, Access Living Headquarters enjoys accessible features such as hands-free main doors with a reception close by for people with a range of disabilities; large elevators with doors that open front and back; low-pile and high-traction carpeting; and wider corridors, wider conference rooms and more toe clearance for higher concentrations of wheelchair users.
Green features include an accessible vegetative roof system.
Founded in 1946, Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) is the only congressionally chartered veterans service organization dedicated solely for the benefit and representation of individuals with spinal cord injury or disease. To learn more, see the Web site.
