A rendering from House Friendly of Ron working on design modifications for his family home.

As an architect born and raised in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, Ron Wickman (MArch’91) was only three months old when his father was injured in an industrial accident that rendered him a paraplegic. Growing up after the accident, Ron experienced the built environment from the unique perspective of travelling around with someone who used a wheelchair.

“My father and I rarely entered a building in the same way as the majority of others; the service entrance was the norm for us. We were also less likely to visit friends at their homes. Helping my father up to the front door from a set of exterior stairs was both dangerous and a reminder that he had less independence than others. Even when we did visit someone else’s home, our stay was usually short because my father was unable to use the washroom.”

It is because of these types of experiences that Ron chose to work in the field of architecture. After Architecture School Ron returned home and set up his own Edmonton based practice in January 1995. And working as an architect, he now realizes how easy it is to design a building or space to be more useable by more people, including persons with disabilities. Ron strives to make accessible home modifications that are economical, beautiful and sustainable.

The entrance to Ron’s home after extensive renovations to render it accessible.

Ron’s interest and expertise is in barrier-free design, that is accommodating the needs of individuals with disabilities; he also has a special interest in multi-family housing and urban and community planning. His master’s thesis, titled “Beyond the Ramp” investigated issues beyond the removal of physical barriers to accessibility for persons with disabilities; it concluded that community planning, the design of individual buildings, and barrier-free design must be considered as working interdependently to create a total environment better equipped to integrate a greater number of citizens into the mainstream of society.  He specializes in providing consulting services for persons with disabilities and for projects focused on affording individuals with disabilities greater choices for independent movement.

Model of Ron’s accessible home.

Ron is responsible for over 50 new house or home renovation projects designed to accommodate residents with disabilities. He is also committed to providing affordable, accessible and adaptable housing and has won several housing competitions. Two built projects include the Affordable Housing Demonstration Project, built in 1996 and initiated by the City of Edmonton Planning and Development Department and the Innovative Housing Committee; and the CMHC FlexHouse – Habitat for Humanity Project built in 1997.

Ron has experience as an expert witness in cases involving persons with disabilities, and he has also been a guest speaker and participant in numerous sessions involving Barrier-Free Design, innovative housing and urban and community planning.

A rendering from House Friendly of Ron’s father visiting their family’s accessible home.

Ron’s children’s book, House Friendly, describes the changes Ron made to his family home to accommodate his father’s visits and the joy that accessibility brought his family. Please enjoy the video and share it with your family!