DESIGNING DDA WINDOW GRAPHICS

MEETING REGULATION AND KEEPING IT CREATIVE

If you’ve not heard of DDA window graphics, dots or DDA compliant window manifestations, then you’re not alone. The Disability Discrimination Act of 1995 was brought into law to protect people with a disability from discrimination. This act gives those with a physical or mental impairment the right to be able to carry out normal day-to-day activities. DDA window graphics are designed to help visually impaired people from impacting glazing which they might not easily see. Modern glazed offices and public spaces are often built with glazed partitions and full height windows which have the highest risk of collision. DDA window graphics, sometimes known as ‘manifestations’ allow this glazing to pass strict building regulations and keep everyone safe.

The guidelines provide an outline of the minimum requirement to meet the needs of DDA. They’re basic and fairly uninspiring. They’ve been written with safety in mind and deliberately functional – which is a good thing, especially for those with a disability. And there’s nothing stopping us from getting creative as long as we cover the basic rules.

You can read the full document on the UK Government website: Building Regulation 2010 / Document K which covers ‘Protection from falling, collision and impact‘. 2013 Edition for England.

THE BASIC SOLUTION:

The common, vanilla solution for full height glazing is a row of window vinyl dots. These are 50mm diameter circles and spaced 50mm apart in two rows. Often these are cut from a Frosted window film or Dusted window film. The two rows must be positioned within two specific margins. This is to protect people of differing heights including children and wheelchair users who may only be able to see the lower row of DDA manifestation. The lower dots must be between 850mm and 1000mm from the floor level and the upper row must be between 1400mm and 1600mm from the floor level.

If you’re feeling a little more adventurous, then you could change the circles for squares, or lines and still be comfortably meeting all building regulations.

You can read the full document on the UK Government website: Building Regulation 2010 / Document K which covers ‘Protection from falling, collision and impact‘. 2013 Edition for England.

GETTING CREATIVE

We love big ideas and we love being creative with our DDA window graphics, but safety first! Document K of the UK Building Regulations 2010 has an important section that must be adhered to and met for any creative design to pass inspection. You’ll find it on page 39, but here it is verbatim.

7.4 outlines that basic requirements and goes as follows:

Provide glass doors and glazed screens (including glazed screens alongside a corridor) with ALL of the following

1. Manifestations at two levels as shown in diagram 7.2 (shown above)
2. Manifestation that will contrast visually with the background seen through the glass, both from inside and outside, in all lighting conditions.
3. Manifestation in the form of a logo or sign, a minimum of 150mm high (repeated if on a glazed screen), or a decorative feature such as broken lines or continuous bands, a minimum of 50mm high.
4. Where glazed doors are beside or part of the glazed screen, they are to be clearly marked with a high-contrast strip at the top and on both sides.
5. Where glass doors may be held open, they are protected with guarding to prevent people colliding with the leading edge.

PUSHING THE DESIGN BOUNDRIES

These guidelines are to cover the minimum requirement and it’s also important to remember why the DDA exists. As long as there is a manifestation clearly visible within these two margins, the design is a winner. A band, stripes, zig zags, photographic printed images, patterns, maps, logos, they will pass building regulations if they are clearly visibly and fall within these margins.

WHICH VINYL

DDA window graphics often use Dusted or Frosted window film. It offers contrast, not just because of the grey colour, but it also add a level of privacy whilst still allowing light to pass though.

These window films can be digitally printed to create a colourful alternative to standard grey dots like we designed for Derby College. These window films can also be cut to a shape or logo like we produced and installed for Wattbike.

But there are plenty more vinyl options available to create some amazing DDA window graphics.

• Transparent window film
  Comes in a range of colours to create a wonderful sweetie wrapper effects and can be printed and cut to shape to deliver completely custom made DDA window graphic designs.
• Optically clear window film
  Manufactured to be completely clear like glass and printed with your design. This option is perfect for intricate designs that cannot be easily cut to shape and will cover the entire glazing panel.
• Clear window film
  Can be printed with bright custom designs and cut to shape without entirely blocking the clarity of the glazing.
• Blockout window vinyl
  A solid opaque vinyl that cannot be seen through and blocks light. It can be cut to shape to create custom cut shapes and designs.

NEED SOME HELP?

If you’re still feeling a bit unsure about how to design your DDA window graphics, then get in touch on 01332 613 900. Our creative studio team have years of experience and plenty of ideas that will meet all the regulations and transform your glazing.

Clever window graphics don’t just have to meet DDA requirements. They can also be great at hiding unwanted furniture and messy desk wiring. Window vinyl can even completely block glazing to transform into a solid wall graphic or block old windows.

Talk to us about how much privacy your DDA Window graphics need to provide. Safe guarding spaces need to maintain a level of visibility, whilst data sensitive spaces require a more modest coverage.

LOOKING FOR MORE IDEAS?

If you’re looking for something specific, like a skyline of a local city, or a particular pattern then we will design it for you. Need some inspiration? Why not download our free Lookbook. It’s full of ideas and recent glazing projects to whet your appetite. From international clients to local independent companies, we’ve designed, printed and installed DDA window graphics for every type of commercial customer.

GET IN TOUCH

Contact one of our friendly team today on 01332 613 900 or drop us an email to ideas@mxdisplay.co.uk. We can give you a quote and chat about what you’re hoping to achieve.