Browsing by Author "Cragoe, Laura"

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    Enviro-Braille: A Transcribed Language of Architectural Elements
    (North Dakota State University, 2020) Cragoe, Laura
    Architecture has an immense effect on our perception of reality. The way one gains understanding of their surroundings depends heavily on stimulation of senses. The pitfall of designers is the consciousness paid to occupants who have an impaired sense of sight or blindness. It is the architect’s responsibility to make design decisions that cultivate environments that everyone can thrive in. Information for this research will be gathered by analyzing perception as it relates to the visually impaired and comparing the principles of language and semiotics to gain an understanding of how architecture is used as a tool of communication. From this information, an indication of architectural elements that should be used to communicate to the visually impaired will be made. The goal of this research to produce a framework of elements that can be applied to any typology.
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    ENVIRO-BRAILLE: Communicating Architecture to the Visually Impaired and Blind
    (North Dakota State University, 2019) Cragoe, Laura
    Architecture has an immense effect on our perception of reality. It has the ability to shape people's understanding of the world and impacts the way people feel, work, move, and play. The way in which one gains understanding of their surroundings depends heavily on the stimulation of senses that are constantly gathering information. The pitfall in design is the consciousness paid to the occupants who have an impaired sense of sight or are blind. This lack of attention, in turn, creates barriers in the built environment that become frustrating, stressful, painful, and even embarrassing for those who can not get around them. It is the architect's responsibility to make design decisions that consider all occupants and mitigate these barriers to cultivate environments for everyone to thrive in. To do this, designers need to develop a strong understanding of all people. Raymond Lifchez and Cheryl Davis (1987) asks the question, "How ethical is it to practice architecture - to be a professional licensed to design buildings and places of assembly - without having first developed an intellectual and emotional understanding of people?" (p. 35) in the book Rethinking Architecture.