The project began with the decision to focus on Transit-Oriented Developments (TODs), a cornerstone of Singapore’s urban planning strategy aimed at creating compact, walkable, and mixed-use communities centered around public transport. While TODs are designed to support a “car-lite” future and enhance liveability, our research revealed that they often fall short in addressing the needs of vulnerable user groups, particularly wheelchair users and families with young children. Through analysis of national frameworks (e.g., Master Plan 2025, Land Transport Master Plan 2040), site observations, and user accounts, we identified critical gaps in accessibility that are frequently overlooked in conventional planning. This person-centred inquiry helped us define the problem: the need for tools that empower architects to design TODs that go beyond compliance, prioritising real-world usability and inclusive user experiences.

In this phase, we synthesised insights from extensive user research, including site analysis, role-playing, stakeholder interviews, and surveys, to clearly define the needs and pain points of wheelchair users and families with young children in Transit-Oriented Developments (TODs). These findings informed the creation of a Refined House of Qualities (HOQ), which translated both emotional and functional user needs into measurable design features. By aligning these features with the principles of Singapore’s Universal Design Index (UDI), we developed a dual-layered Performance Matrix that served as the foundation for evaluating and guiding our digital tool’s features—ensuring each prototype decision was rooted in real-world accessibility challenges and user-centred priorities.

In response to the identified user pain points and limitations of existing tools, the team developed AccessAble, an integrated digital toolkit designed to help architects create more inclusive Transit-Oriented Developments (TODs). Built as a Grasshopper plugin, AccessAble streamlines accessibility assessments by combining real-time design evaluation, user navigation simulation, and regulation-guided feedback into a single workflow. The tool allows architects to test spatial usability from the perspective of wheelchair users, identify problem areas early in the design process, and retrieve context-specific regulatory guidance through a specialised knowledge base. By embedding both quantitative checks and qualitative, user-informed insights, AccessAble empowers architects to move beyond compliance checklists and make more empathetic, user-centred design decisions aligned with Singapore’s Universal Design goals.