architectural barrier /är′kətek″chərəl/ , any architectural feature of a home or a public building that limits the access and mobility of disabled persons (e.g., lack of ramps, narrow elevator doors, or environmental “cues” that are not also written in Braille, such as public announcements or elevator buttons). Wheelchair access, for example, requires ramped entryways, a minimum of 32-inch-wide doorways, a space of at least 60 × 60 inches for wheelchair turns, and counters no more than 26½ inches above floor level.
