Ramping up Iceland to Increase Accessibility

Ramps allow people who use wheelchairs accessibility to banks, stores, restaurants, as well as public spaces like parks and beaches. While many countries have legislation that requires disability access, this frequently applies to public spaces or new buildings. This is the case in Iceland where a  2012 law applies only to new construction, reported EuroNews.

Since Iceland’s disability law is not retroactive, that  means that older buildings are not required to add ramps. Since many stores have entrances above street level, not being able to navigate the two or three stairs means not being able to shop. Now an organization, Ramp Up, is building ramps across Iceland to allow people in wheelchairs to get to places that were not accessible before.

A Mission to Build Ramps
In 2021, Haraldur Thorleifsson, a wheelchair user, was forced to wait outside a shop in downtown Reykjavík while his wife and son shopped because there was no wheelchair access, reported Fast Company.

“As I was sitting outside, I kept looking at that one step,” he told Fast Company. “Over the years, steps like that had stopped me from being able to go [to]cafés to meet friends, from going to the barber, or going Christmas shopping with my family. That one step was the main obstacle between me and fully participating in society.

“And, not just me; [this applies to] anyone who uses a mobility device to get around. I decided that this had to change and since nobody else seemed to be doing anything, I figured it was up to me.”

This lightbulb moment led Thorleifsson to create Ramp Up Reykjavík to fund the building of 100 ramps in Iceland’s capital in locations where there was a lot of foot traffic. The project finished in half the time allocated and under budget.

But that was only the beginning. Four years later, the project expanded to additional cities in the Nordic country and built 1,756 wheelchair ramps.

Thorleifsson originally funded the project with dividends from the sale of his digital design agency to Twitter, but the project is now a collaboration between Thorleifsson, local businesses, and government agencies.

How to Build a Better Ramp
The ramps that were built were designed for the specific location and integrated into the environment. The designers work with the municipalities to attempt to match existing materials.

“The role of a designer is to make something simple and beautiful to use, for as many people as possible,” Thorleifsson said. “So. when I look at how some things are made, I can’t help but wonder how easy it would have been, with small tweaks, to make it usable by more people without losing any of the beauty.”

The biggest hurdle was not in the planning or building of the ramps but in the belief that it was possible. That’s because it was discussed for decades without results. Ramp Up’s approach is to not give in to people’s excuses by funding, designing, getting all the permits, and building the accessibility ramps.

Now, Thorleifsson is looking to expand Ramp Up to other countries. When he was asked what lessons he can share with other cities and countries to improve their disability accessibility, he said: “It’s easy. It’s cheap. There’s no excuse. Just do it. We can help. Call me.”