ENVIRO-BRAILLE: Communicating Architecture to the Visually Impaired and Blind

Abstract

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.