Accessibility and c3auti

For the most important info in plain English, visit last year’s blogpost.. As of now, there are not going to be huge changes.

Need acute help? Please visit help.ccc.de

📞 2884: General Questions can best be answered by QuietQube Helpdesk.
📞 1199: For more specialized accessibility needs, you may also call Auti Coordination.

In general: For a lot of physical disabilities, the CCH has good accessibility. The Congress Center Hamburg is newly renovated and up to code. There are good toilets, guidance systems for the blind and visually impaired and everything (including stages) in theory is wheelchair accessible. But there are caveats with wheelchair access and we are also checking if all induction loops for hearing aids at stages will be operable this year.

More info on the centre’s accessibility on its website.

For everything Chaos-made, these will be your points of contact:

Important Facilities

These facilities will help with accessibility:

QuietQube Helpdesk

Our helpdesk will provide you with information on accessibility. It is located inside the QuietQube. If you need some assistance on a small personal quest, the helpdesk may be able to provide a helping hand. However: if you foresee the need for a personal assistant, please bring your own.

The helpdesk is also a place for finding some social support and guidance for autistic creatures.

Hidden Disability Badges

Hidden disabilities badges will be available. It is made to be compatible with your angel badge (you can glue them together). Your hidden disabilities badge has room for some pre-made stickers (such as “sign with me” or “no flirting”) and room for writing down notes/instructions. It can also be folded and flipped in case some disability info does not require being on display all the time.

You can also get stickers to inform others that you need to skip long queues or use priority seating at stages. (And in many cases, asking politely will likely get you those “benefits” as well.)

Silent Room

Unlike QuietQube, which is also meant for socialising, Silent Room will be a place just for resting. For operational reasons, the location of this room will only be given to people that need it. Infodesk, Awareness and QuietQube Helpdesk will provide directions to anyone that may want to use that room. Helpdesk can also guide you to the room in person or help you memorise a route.

Meltdown Room

There is a closed-off room that can facilitate a meltdown. It can be blacked-out too. The entrance of the room is near an area that is lightly-crowded.

If you need the meltdown room or if you feel you are going into meltdown, please call 📞 1199 -c3auti emergency- via eventphone. You can get a card with instructions for another person to call that number for you at QuietQube Helpdesk. You may also ask an auti, CERT or awareness runner for help.

Quiet Qube Helpdesk will train the route to the room with you, so you know what to expect when you need it. We must ask you to not just show up at the door unannounced, as we may need to change plans when the room is occupied.

Quiet Qube

All creatures that enjoy quiet socialising are welcome here. We have tables and seating meant for quiet interactions, and places meant for silent coexistence. You can also find support and communication aids at our Helpdesk.

To help all be excellent to each other, we ask you to respect the Quiet Qube Code of Conduct.

Assistants and Assistant Dogs

Bring them. Please also provide an ID card if you want to bring an assistant.

Lecture halls

There are seats for people with disabilities and special needs in the lecture halls. Please leave them free or give them to people who need them.

As the needs are very different, they are scattered throughout the halls.

Hall 1

  • front: row 1 seat 10, row 1b seat 11, row 19 seats 16 and 17
  • center: row 20 seats 17 and 16
  • upper level: row 30 seat 25, row 35 seats 23 and 24, row 35 seats 33 and 34

Hall E

  • Row 2, 2 seats to the right of the center aisle
  • Row 4, by the door
  • Row 5, by the door
  • last row, 2 seats on the far left

Induction Loop availability is unclear.

Hall Granville

  • last 2 rows left and right near the door (it’s busy there!)
  • middle area, first row 2× left, 2× right
  • middle area, last row, directly in front of the camera (it is rather quiet there and must also be occupied by someone who will be quiet)

Induction Loop availability is unclear.

Hall Zuse

  • Row 25, seats 30 and 1, far back (in front of the technical equipment) far left and far right
  • Row 12, seats 33 and 34, directly next to the door on the right, no stairs
  • Row 12, seats 22 and 23, no stairs
  • Row 1, seats 31 and 32 (right, front) and 13 (left, front), no steps

Broadcasting Center (Sendezentrum)

  • 1st row, counted from left to right 8 and 10
  • 2nd row, directly at the door
  • 3rd row, directly at the door
  • last row, 2 seats to the left of the door

Induction Loop availability is unclear.

Wheelchair spaces

There are places for wheelchair users and accompanying persons in the lecture halls.

  • in Hall 1 there are 6 seats directly at the door “Parquet left”
  • in Hall D there are 2 seats to the right of the door
  • in Hall Granville there are 4 individual seats to the right of the left and right aisle
  • in Hall Zuse there are 3 seats next to the right door
  • in the Broadcasting Center (Sendezentrum) there are 2 seats to the right of the door

Barriers to expect and lessons learned

This is meant to point out some barriers that you may not expect in other circumstances, but may run into at Congress. You can help reduce the list by volunteering and expand the list by contacting us via mail to tell us about barriers

Wheelchair access limitations

On 37c3, we learned during the event that wheelchair access has been a lot worse than we hoped for. This is what you need to know: 1. Most of the convention centre has carpets. 2. There are only three elevators available located near the foyer. These will overheat when in use 24/7 and that has caused a lot of down-time last year. There are plans to prevent this situation from occurring again this year. 3. Signs showing the shortest route to the elevators will be available from day one. 4. We must insist you not use the escalators even if you do that day to day. 5. There is a special backdoor elevator you need to use to get to lounge. There will be signs.

Blind guidance system blockades

The blind guidance system was often blocked on 37c3. We have plans so that won't happen again.

Induction Loops

Induction Loops for Hearing aids have been installed incorrectly at CCH. We are looking into solutions at the moment.

Noise and Lights

Congress will be overwhelming and over-stimulating. It is advised to bring ANC Headphones and maybe sunglasses if you are easily overstimulated or exhausted.

Strobe Lights

Lounge will use 20 Hz strobe lights, so avoid that area if you are at risk of having photoepileptic seizures. Art and Play installations will not use strobing lights. Many community members will build a lot of things, so be careful and don’t hesitate to ask for overly intense light installations to be tuned down.

Sign language and “simple German”

We cannot offer translations to sign language or “simple German”.

Community Projects**

A lot of what is provided at the event is made by wonderful enthusiasts, that will very likely not follow code consistently.