시각약자를 배려한 공공역사의 사인 색채환경 평가 -서울시 주요 지하철 역사를 대상으로-

Abstract

(Background and Purpose) Recently, incorporating a universal design for amenities used by all of the society has become an important issue. In particular, an environment that incorporates color in the universal design to aid the visually handicapped with public signage and in public transportation facilities is becoming increasingly important. The purpose of this study is to propose a universal design solution of color-coded public signage for the visually handicapped in public transportation facilities based on data from a field survey conducted at the main subway station in Seoul city. (Method) The research methods are as follows: 1) the contents of assessment of color-coded universal design are derived through analysis of existing research; 2) the assessment items for color-coded universal design of public signs are arranged through an expert questionnaire survey; and 3) examination of the situation and problems surrounding the public transportation facility through a survey of public signage in the main subway station in Seoul city, and suggesting improvement methods according to the assessment results. (Results) The results of the survey assessment indicate a poor environment in terms of color-coded universal design in material, color, mass, and layout, as well as access environment have a low good situation. Due to numerous kinds of public signs and advertising, it has been difficult to understand to recognize information by color. Thus, to improve signage through universal color design, a public transportation facility needs to build a system with specific guidelines for signage colors, while regulating advertising colors simultaneously. Such a basic design guidelines are required to improve signage visibility in the interior spaces of public transportation facilities. Furthermore, the establishment of a universal design color system must consider the entire transportation facilities environment, such as subway stations. It is essential to create a basic environment for information understanding based on a systematic survey and analysis of color recognition for the visually handicapped, taking into account the entire movement of subway entrances, intersections, and major public squares. To this end, it is important to prepare regulations on institutional devices and space plans for local governments and related administrative departments. (Conclusions) This study has an important implications as it was derived from a field survey on color public signage for the blind, the elderly, and pedestrians. This study will contribute suggestions for improvements on public signs in public transportation facilities, such as subways and bus terminals, for all users—including the visually handicapped.