Alma Wunsch
Universal Design in Urban Sports Infrastructure: Lessons from Paralympic Games Host Cities
The Paralympic Games serve as a global example of how sports venues and infrastructure can be transformed using Universal Design (UD), influencing accessibility in host countries.
Alma Wunsch wants to examine the challenges, learnings, and best practices from Paralympic Host Cities like Paris, London and Los Angeles as they implement UD principles. By considering the diverse contexts of these cities, she aims to bring valuable insights back to Denmark to inform urban planning and academic education.
Alma plans to conduct her investigation in Paris (France), London (United Kingdom), Tromsø (Norway) and at the IDEA Center Buffalo (USA).
Watch Alma's pitch here:
Follow
Alma Wunsch
's investigation
Alma has started her investigation. Below you can read posts along the way from her journey, in which she details her experiences and the insight she has gained thus far.
February 2026
Bonjour Paris
The journey begins. I have arrived in Paris, host city of the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The next few days will be filled with insightful conversations and site visits to explore the why, what, and how of Universal Design in the context of planning for the Olympics and Paralympics.
Planners, managers, and organizers will share their knowledge, experiences, and key learnings from designing and implementing an inclusive built environment that enables meaningful experiences for both spectators and athletes.
The Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games (Paris 2024) were designed as an extraordinary example of sustainable event management, contributing to a lasting legacy for the city. This includes providing Parisian neighborhoods with high quality, inclusive sports facilities and improving accessibility throughout the city.
In addition to speaking with an urban planner and accessibility specialist from Paris2024, I will visit the former Olympic and Paralympic Village, the Olympic Aquatic Center, and Europe’s first “ultrainclusive sports facility” - Le PRISME.
And the journey continues - Moin, Hamburg!
While my visit to Hamburg is not connected to past or future Olympic & Paralympic Games, I will nevertheless explore relevant insights on planning and designing inclusive sports infrastructure here in Hamburg.
In 2024, the German government initiated a major research project on inclusive sports infrastructure, resulting in a publication titled “Towards Accessible Sports Facilities: Guidelines for Removing Barriers in Existing Buildings” (translated from German). I will visit the experienced planning consultancy that has contributed to this research to better understand the background and the details of what it has revealed.
Sending my best wishes to the wonderful Bevica Fonden. This would not have been possible without you 🌞
