Campaigns

Bad design wastes time, creates confusion, and excludes people. The Design Surrey Better campaign starts with a simple question: why do so many public spaces still make basic things harder than they need to be?

Our first focus is Norman Doors — doors that don't clearly show whether to push, pull, or slide. The name comes from design researcher Don Norman, whose work showed that when everyday objects confuse people, the fault lies with the design, not the person. Norman Doors may seem minor, but they reveal a bigger issue: public spaces should be designed around people, not just appearances.

Bad public design is an accessibility issue for seniors and people with disabilities, a safety issue in emergencies, and a dignity issue for everyone who has ever felt like the problem when the building was the problem.

What we're asking for

Metro Surrey is calling on the City of Surrey to review confusing and inaccessible design in civic buildings, libraries, recreation centres, and public-facing spaces — and to commit to clearer, more accessible design standards for future public projects.

The research behind it

Every Metro Surrey campaign is backed by a policy memo. Our Design Surrey Better brief on accessibility, user-centred design, and civic design standards will be published on this site.