Ron Mace Award

In June 2000, at the 2nd International Universal Design Conference held in Providence Rhode Island, USA, Roger Coleman was personally honoured with a Ron Mace Memorial 'Designing for the 21st Century' Award.

The citation read: "Roger Coleman is an influential design educator, author and advocate. He works closely with business and industry, integrating their economic concerns to demonstrate great, socially responsive and marketable design. He played a central role in creating DAN - the Design for Ageing Network in Europe and has initiated numerous collaborative projects and exhibitions worldwide."

Roger Coleman accepting
the award

Seven organisations and eight individuals from around the world were recipients of the first annual Ron Mace Awards. Named in honour of Ron Mace, FAIA who died in 1998, the awards recognise those who have worked to make his vision of a universally inclusive society a reality.

Organisations:
American Association of Retired People, USA
Center for Applied Special Technology, USA
European Institute for Design and Disability, Europe
National Centre for Accessible Media USA
Microsoft Corporation USA
Moore Iacofano Goltsman, Inc., USA
Universal Design Newsletter, USA

Individuals:
Maria Benktzon, Ergonomi Design Gruppen, Sweden
Roger Coleman, The Helen Hamlyn Research Centre, Royal College of Art, UK
Sam and Betsey Farber, Oxo Good Grips, USA
Yoshihiko Kawauchi, Access Project, Japan
Satoshi Kose, Ministry of Construction, Japan
Patricia Moore, Pat Moore Designs, Inc., USA
Jim Sandhu, University of Northumbria, UK
Gregg Vanderheiden , Trace R&D Center

Ron Mace was a nationally and internationally recognised architect and disability activist whose design philosophy challenged convention and provided a design foundation for a more usable world. He coined the term "universal design" to describe the concept of designing all products and the built environment to be aesthetic and usable to the greatest extent possible by everyone, regardless of their age, ability, or status in life. He was also a devoted advocate for the rights of people with disabilities.

The awards program was organised by the Adaptive Environments Center, in co-operation with HalfthePlanet.com, the Center for Universal Design at North Carolina State University and the RERC on Universal Design, the State University of New York at Buffalo.