Barrier free park : designing a therapeutic environment inclusive of special needs community at Central Park One Utama

Nowadays, many of the park development forget to add the Universal Design and therapeutic features to their park. this is the important features for the park visitor such as disable people that needs their time and space when their visit the park area. With the features added, this will help the disable people to utilize the park space for the own purpose and self-development. Furthermore, this will improve the social activities towards the park visitors and the environment itself. Materials selection is importance to make the successful park for disable people, the consideration of the materials helps the disable people to interact by their sense, taste and touch. The importance of having universal and therapeutic design in park is one of the most important features that should be added when developing it. The space for special needs should be consider based on their abilities on doing any activities in park, it also helps them to blend with normal people. Furthermore, One Utama Shopping Center is well-known place for outsider to come, the additional on the Central Park One Utama can be one of the attraction for the mall user to the park area. The park should be attractive
when implementing the universal and therapeutic design approach. With this study, we are able to find out the problem and the opportunities for the park to be develop into a new look and friendly use park for all kind of user especially special needs community.