One of the greatest pleasures of urban planning is that there is always a professional in the sector; architects, urban planners, designers...etc who break with traditional schemes and the way of understanding a space. Who surprise with their innovative ideas and who, in many aspects, deserve a loquacious applause.
This is the story of Chris Downey (Oakland – California). An architect who, after an unfortunate accident, I went blind in 2008, having to rethink the way of understanding life and his great passion, architecture, discovering that with a lot of effort and perseverance, he has achieved transform your disability into a Gift.
Downey comments…“Before I lost my sight I used to focus more on how a space looked, now I think about how the textures of the materials feel, the temperatures and acoustics. I try to design with more senses.”
With this premise and from a TED Channel conference proposes the redefinition of cities and urbanism from a different points of view, a urbanism embodied by the senses where necessary aspects for the accessibility of the blind people can benefit the rest of the population forcefully.
Remember to choose the subtitles in the following video in Spanish. Twelve minutes long that don't have waste.
Some of us will wonder how it is possible that architect without being able to relate the plans or a space. From your Arch4blind web portal we can identify the projects they have carried out and their way of understanding the plans. Plans made with Braille and the use of «plasticine» to be able to identify to a greater degree the spaces and shapes.
In an interview conducted by CNN México…
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When designs are sent to me for review, I print Raised plans so you can read them with your hands. To modify them, I glue small strips of wax with which I place walls or change elements of place. it's my way of develop and share my ideas.
Because 90% of blind people in actually has reduced vision, a combination of contrasting colors can orient and help distinguish between one environment and another.
Conversely, if a door is painted the same as the wall, it is very likely that a person with visual weakness.
In the case of signs, they must be placed on a contrasting background, the same as the stairs, handrails and obstacles such as benches and trash cans, so that visually impaired people can locate them.
I like to change the floor material in front of the building so that the texture is different and it is understood that there's the entrance. This solution not only helps people blind but, in visual terms, it can be attractive.
In general, elevator buttons or any other access device should avoid touch screens, because they cannot be interpreted by the blind with their hands. Audio announcements or braille signage may facilitate their access.
Currently, technologies similar to the System are being developed of Global Positioning, known as GPS, which could serve all people to orient themselves in a building.
Regarding light levels, should be avoided dramatic contrasts. Indirect lighting is the worse for this type of space because it causes shadows that can be very confusing for the visually impaired.
It is also not recommended to use lighting elements very bright. Actually, natural light, or something like it, is the most appropriate.
Part of this experience has helped me understand that we must assume that all the people who come to a building they have all their capabilities.
We need to design so that buildings are what friendliest possible.
Let's remind users that at the time we already talked about the great forgotten of architecture, the autistic in the article… Guide to the influence of architecture and its physical spaces in autism.
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