Elevators enable accessibility. They are vital when 1.3 billion people worldwide – more than one in six – experience a significant disability according to World Health Organization estimates. The demand for accessibility will increase as the global population ages and more people move to expanding cities. 

Where is there a demand for equalising access to mobility? The first area is refurbishing historic buildings and transport infrastructure without adequate elevators through reworking and retrofitting. The second is modernisation of ageing elevator and escalator equipment while intentionally incorporating the latest technologies to enable mobility independence. 

Grand designs 

One of Otis’ recent and most impactful access projects is at Paris’ Grand Palais, built in 1900. It’s an outstanding example of innovative engineering adding elevators to a historic building – going from an original two to an eventual 49 elevators. 

All these elevators are accessible, but 10 are specially designed for people with reduced mobility – such as wheelchair users – to use for very short journeys, travelling the height of just a few stairs. Otis provided technical expertise early in design, conducting a building traffic study to develop the most appropriate solutions and collaborating with architects to design new elevator shafts and tailored equipment to fit existing dimensions. 

The installation helped the Grand Palais meet modern accessibility standards, while preserving the site’s historic features. 

In London, opposite the Bank of England, stands the impressive refurbishment of 7 Princes Street. Delivered by RED Construction Group, this project has successfully retained 90% of the original concrete structure while introducing a sleek carbon steel extension. The existing lift shafts have been preserved and extended by two additional floors. 

Today, the building features Otis Gen2® Stream lifts and the innovative Otis Compass 360® destination management system, designed to meet accessibility needs. To aid people with visual impairment, the system uses high-contrast screens and verbal instructions, available at the touch of a button. The ‘transit time’ feature provides extra time to board the assigned elevator. 

This cutting-edge technology transforms the experience of navigating the building, acting like a virtual concierge to seamlessly direct visitors to their designated elevators and spaces, including access to the stunning rooftop terrace. 

Modernisation and accessibility 

In buildings with existing elevator access, technology can be retrofitted to ageing elevators and installed as part of a ‘modernisation’ upgrade. Modernisation plans are often appropriate for elevators that are 15-20 years old – and can include accessibility upgrades that make a big impact on who can use your elevator with ease and independence. 

Accessibility upgrades can include features like more accessible buttons, audio announcements, gentle-close doors, or an improved dispatching interface. Upgrading the underlying technology to include a dispatching API can future-ready the elevator system to be compatible with near-term accessibility solutions, like integration with a phone-based wayfinding app, service robots, or automated robotic wheelchairs. 

Through our work with organisations such as Disability:IN, we seek out perspectives of people with disabilities in our product development lifecycle. At one event, we enlisted the feedback of those living with disabilities as an important scoping stage to frame our engineering innovation campaign to improve the accessibility of elevator operating panels. At another event, we conducted usability testing on accessibility features in our destination dispatching interface. 

These examples show our award-winning engineering teams expanding what's possible in vertical mobility, including improving accessibility. 

Ever since 1853, when Elisha Otis sold his first elevator following his invention of the elevator safety brake, people have relied on safe vertical mobility in growing cities and ever-higher buildings. 

Today, Otis moves 2.4 billion people a day, and our products and services are available in more than 200 countries and territories. Our vision is to give people freedom to connect and thrive in a taller, faster, smarter world. We believe we are uniquely positioned to help people move safely and independently through buildings and cities around the world. 

Join us on this journey: by improving accessibility for people with disabilities, we improve accessibility for all.