Wheelchair Worlds: [Re]imagining Architecture for a Mobility-Centered Society

This thesis reimagines architecture from the perspective of wheelchair users, proposing a mobility-centered design approach where ramps, movement, and sensory experience are the foundation of form — not afterthoughts. Rather than adding accessibility features to an able-bodied norm, the project designs entirely from the experience of wheeled movement. Through the creation of a Wellness and Recreation Center at East Montlake Park in Seattle, the thesis investigates how ramps can become architectural generators, how sensory-responsive materials can shape spatial dignity, and how buildings can welcome all bodies through seamless, inclusive circulation. Drawing from both research and real-world challenges, the design replaces traditional vertical hierarchies with continuous paths of motion. The result is a fluid, empowering environment where wheelchair users are not separated or accommodated — but centered. This thesis argues for a shift from ADA minimums to emotionally resonant, user-centered architecture that celebrates diversity, dignity, and movement as design drivers. The ramp is not a fix. It is the form.