Significance of the Application of Universal Design in Mosque Buildings in Malaysia
As a key national target, Malaysia has been trying to become a sustainable and developed country by 2020. In this way, social sustainability, one of the three pillars of sustainable development involves participation of all people and communities as well as their enjoyment of equal human rights. Based on World Health Organization (WHO) one billion disabled people with impairments live in the world. However, the social model of disability proposes that much more people are disabled due to environmental barriers. In this regard, the universal design concept has been implemented as a notion through which built environment is required to service all people with different range of abilities. Mosque buildings are the main religious spot for Muslim people and their most important community center that play a significant role in their daily lives. Accordingly, application of universal design in this built environment is crucial to cater wider range of users. Reviewing the relevant literatures, this article proposes the significance of the application of universal design as an exigency in mosque design process.