He Lost His Leg to Cancer at Age 9. Then He Spent His Career Asking Why Cities Were Built for a Body That Doesn't Exist.

David Gissen is an architect and amputee at Parsons School of Design in New York. His argument: cities were built for a mythological body. 21% of NYC's subway stations are accessible. The ADA deadline was delayed again last week. The disability is not in the person. It is in the building. Tokyo, London, Singapore, Amsterdam, Nairobi, and Seoul read this differently. bcdW Current Today · New York · April 28, 2026 · [bcd-w.xyz](http://bcd-w.xyz)