Blind sense of place : a sensory ethnographic study on parameters of optimal design

Abstract

Built environment needs to be inclusive addressing all the people who are in different sensory capacities. The current research study was focused on Architecture for visually impaired. The objectives of this qualitative investigation were to explore the nature of blind sensual perception and identify the parameters of blind‘s sense of place leading to optimal design.The research was conducted, with a sample of visually impaired children (n=13, age = 16-22, male: 7 and female: 6) who are students of Rathmalana school for the blind. A sensory ethnography study was adopted to identify the nature of perception and the parameters of most preferred and least preferred spaces of the school premises. Data analysis was done through Nvivo 11 program. The blind sensual perception considering the order of prioritization of sensory modalities was identified as; haptic perception (35 %), light perception (27%), auditory perception (19%), olfactory perception (11%) and visual perception (8%) respectively. Sense of comfort (46%), and sense freedom (31%) were identified as the predominant psychological parameters leading to optimal sense of place perceived by visually impaired while safety (8%), rhythm (8%), privacy (3%) and sense of belongingness (4%) were identified as secondary factors. Being in harmony with the elements of natural landscape, cross ventilation, artificial ventilation and lighting in a conducive level were revealed as favorable characteristics. Glare, noise, irregular rhythm in vertical circulation (risers and treads of thestaircase) and lack of safety in textural design elements were identified as the unfavorable characteristics of least preferred places. This investigation revealed the importance of transcending beyond the bias of vision and designing inclusive built environments addressing haptic perception incorporating textural effects of materials, ventilation, sound, smell and lighting leading to optimal design conducive for visually impaired.