Nexe Fundació reimagines the Guitard playroom, where technological support is key to achieving universal accessibility

• The winning proposal of the challenge launched by Digital Future Society and the 2030 Agenda 2030 Commissioner of the Barcelona City Council, stands out for its disruptive and transversal approach that offers inclusive and sensory experiences within the playroom
• The aim of the challenge seeks to advance universal accessibility of public facilities and, specifically, improve the cognitive and communicative accessibility of the district’s playroom Guitard
• The winning proposal will receive an economic contribution of up to 40,000 euros financed by the district of Les Corts and the Municipal Institute for People with Disabilities, which in addition will provide support and advice throughout the process
• The initiative is part of the InnovAcció 2030 programme, which currently has eight challenges underway

12 may, 2022

Barcelona, 12^th of May 2022.- Digital Future Society and the City Council of Barcelona, via the 2030 Agenda Commissioner, the district of les Corts and the Municipal Institute for People with Disabilities (IMPD), have chosen the solution of Nexe Fundació, which presented an innovative project that includes multisensory rooms and the support of digital tools to advance in universal accessibility within the Guitard playroom. The winning proposal reimagines the playroom and suggests a space where technology plays an essential supporting role. The challenge, which is part of the InnovAcció 2030 programme, with an international scope, received a total of 23 proposals from eight different countries – Spain, United States, United Kingdom, Israel, France, Slovenia, Croatia and Switzerland – which explored the topic of communicative accessibility from different perspectives.

Nexe Fundació with “La Guitard, reimagined: Digital playrooms for all and change management”, presents a global project to establish change management and dynamization of the centre and ensure the success of technology through participatory interventions of social innovation. Through the implementation of adapted toys, interactive whiteboards and projectors with different games, music or activities, multi-sensory rooms and digital support tools, Nexe Fundació aims to meet all the current needs of the playroom to offer a space free of barriers. In addition, the project includes the involvement of the community, parents, relatives, and professional tutors, guaranteeing their acceptance and promoting the use of the technologies to facilitate universal access, from any location.

The winning solution will receive financial support of up to 40,000 euros with the funding from the district of Les Corts and the IMPD, which has provided support and advice throughout the process. In addition, support will be offered during the implementation and coordination of the project, with the possibility of testing the solution in a real environment.

This challenge aims to improve the accessibility and inclusion of the Guitard playroom – a local facility in Les Corts district inaugurated in 2010 – that seeks to adapt the tools and games so that children with any type of disability (physical, intellectual, visual and/or hearing, or mental health disorder) can use the space without barriers. In this way, the aim is to promote the right to universal accessibility and encourage equal opportunities for participation and inclusion of people with disabilities in all aspects of social, cultural, and educational life.

All the proposals have filtered through a 3-stage evaluation process, until the selection of the winning project is determined by a committee of experts from the entities promoting the challenge. The jury valued the innovative approach that contributes to equal opportunities for all audiences and reduces barriers in the city’s public facilities.

InnovAcció 2030: 8 challenges in progress

The InnovAcció programme currently has eight challenges underway. In addition to the Les Corts challenge, the agenda 2030 Commissioner and Digital Future Society have another challenge in process in the Eixample, which seeks to promote more sustainable tourism in the district and aims to identify projects that help manage mobility, redistribute tourist flows and strengthens smart communication with visitors. Thus, a challenge in Horta-Guinardó will soon be launched.

These three challenges at a district level add up to those promoted jointly with B:SM to achieve a more inclusive visit to Park Güell and Barcelona Zoo, appropriate use of parking spaces reserved on public roads, or to make more flexible and reduce the cost of charging points for electric vehicles in the city.