Peanut butter and technology
Listen to the audio version by clicking the play button above.
Pic’s Peanut Butter World in Nelson opened in early 2019. As a discerning peanut butter fan with an affinity for factory tours and interesting buildings, I couldn’t wait to visit.
I decided to make the trip even better by incorporating another of my favourite things – accessibility. Knowing that the business’s founder, Pic Picot, was legally blind, I arranged to meet him to ask how his disability had influenced the design of the new factory and visitor centre.
As it happens, Pic’s blindness had little to no bearing on the design of the building. There may have been some subconscious influence, but he was not very interested in focusing on his disability or the obstacles it presented. He was interested in machines, fun, and making industrial buildings an appealing part of the community rather than an eyesore.
Designed by Jerram Tocker Barron Architects, and a winner of numerous design awards, Pic’s Peanut Butter World embodies Pic’s vision of an attractive industrial building. It’s a tourist destination with fun features like a wide circular stair around a steampunk-style lift and a coffee kiosk that looks like a giant toaster.
I’d intended to discuss the built environment with Pic, but our conversation quickly moved onto technology, a subject in which he has a keen interest. He spoke of situations where technology could make life easier, and in particular, transportation.
Because he couldn’t drive and relied on taxis to get around, he wanted a driverless car. In fact, he’d recently acquired a Tesla that was capable of autonomous driving. Pic pointed out that there was no legislation in New Zealand requiring cars to have a driver, and he was working with Nelson City Council for early permission to have his car transport him, without a driver, between work and home. An exciting initiative!
For me, this conversation with Pic was a good reminder that accessibility extends beyond the built environment. Technology is opening up access to a whole new range of experiences for people with disabilities – for example, digital communications. Consider how it might help you or your business.
Do you have a website? Is it an accessible website? If not, or if you don’t know, check with your website builder. An accessible website means that people with visual impairments, like Pic, can use it.
Do you publish a blog? Last year I had a request to include audio versions of each of my blogs. I have an accessible website but had not thought to provide the option for someone to listen to what I had written.
Do you upload video content? Is it captioned? Captions are useful for so many reasons, not least to communicate with people who cannot hear.
My focus remains on accessibility in the built environment. But thanks to conversations with people like Pic, I am reminded that technology is increasingly important for all of us and can certainly make life easier for people with disabilities. If, like me, you struggle to make technology work, take a page from my book and find a tech-savvy friend, associate, or professional to help. The opportunity
