Design for all Senses. Accessible Spaces for Visually Impaired Citizens

The central purpose of this study is to contribute to our knowledge of designing in a way that can be supported by the knowledge of the situation, and by the experience and expectations of those who are affected by design. In this case it means to enable us to find methods that can support the development of design actions to improve the accessibility of public open urban places for visually impaired persons, enhancing their perception and understanding of space, increasing their possibilities of orientating and taking independent decisions, and enabling them participate in the city life. To fully achieve this aim it is necessary to understand their rights as citizens, and also their particular needs and problems arising from the reduction or absence of vision.<p /> To achieve this aim three design projects for a central urban area in Brazil were developed involving different professionals working under different constraints. The specificity of each design situation brought the possibility of integrating and combining the different spheres of knowledge necessary to solve the problem from an Universal Design perspective. In this way, theoretical knowledge about spatial perception process, supported the understanding of the first-hand information given by visually impaired persons, and oriented the process of a differentiated spatial analysis based on a non-visual frame of reference. Consequently, the generated knowledge is essentially contextual, being the search not focused on the development of model solutions to be applied in different situations. What is searched is to support the analytical capacity and reflective attitude, which are necessary to solve complex problems such as designing for persons who have different needs and abilities. <p />The initial intentions evolved into a more general questioning about architectural practice. This practice usually focuses on the technical and visually aesthetic dimensions of space, often leaving aside its other sensory attributes, and the life that animates space. Studying space in a different light, brought reflections about the need to consider the 'invisible' and usually disregarded non-visual attributes to improve spatial quality, not only in the design of accessible spaces for the visually impaired, but for all persons and for all senses

Sustainability as a factor of ambience in the qualification of the constructions of the establishments of shelter of children and adolescents in situation of vulnerability

O ECA criou formas de atendimento às crianças e adolescentes em vulnerabilidade social, entre elas: o abrigo. Este não isola, salvaguardando: saúde, educação e moradia; assiste ambos os sexos, entre zero e dezoito anos, em processo ou não de adoção, com ou sem família direta ou estendida. A institucionalização deveria ser transitória, mas leva meses ou anos. A legislação brasileira controla o atendimento, mas é generalista no ambiente construído. As edificações são alugadas e adaptadas, sem considerar fatores que compõem a ambiência do habitar doméstico, entre eles a sustentabilidade. Este está relacionado com aspectos ambientais, econômicos e sociais. O artigo objetiva detectar e descrever as atividades cotidianas, propondo recomendações projetuais com ênfase na sustentabilidade. Os resultados destacam a importância das relações espaciais e visuais entre interior e exterior, para humanizar e promover recursos sustentáveis. Por fim, reflete-se que é indiscutível garantir a interação espaço e pessoas, criando condições de qualidade.The ECA created forms of care for children and adolescents in social vulnerability, among them: shelter. This does not isolate, safeguarding: health, education and housing; assists both sexes, between zero and eighteen, in process or not of adoption, with or without direct or extended family. Institutionalization should be transient, but it takes months or years. The Brazilian legislation controls the service, but is general in the built environment. The buildings are rented and adapted, without considering factors that make up the ambience of the domestic dwelling, among them the sustainability. This is related to environmental, economic and social aspects. The article aims to detect and describe daily activities, proposing project recommendations with an emphasis on sustainability. The results highlight the importance of spatial and visual relationships between interior and exterior, to humanize and promote sustainable resources. Finally, it is reflected that it is indisputable to guarantee the interaction space and people, creating conditions of quality

Acessibilidade às pessoas com deficiência visual no transporte público urbano: o caso do metrô de Bruxelas (Bélgica) | Accessibility to blind people in urban public transport: The Brussels (Belgium) subway case

Compreender e utilizar um sistema de transporte publico urbano, por vezes, nao e tarefa facil, principalmente quando se tem alguma deficiencia e o meio nao oferece acessibilidade. Para os usuarios que nao conseguem ou tem dificuldade em enxergar, pode tornar‑se uma atividade impraticavel, de forma independente, quando as informacoes nao visuais sao escassas ou inexistentes. Pensando nessas questoes, estudos foram realizados no metro de Bruxelas, na Belgica, para apos 10 anos de esenvolvimento, disponibilizar um sistema de orientacao para que pessoas com cegueira fossem capazes de viajar com independencia pela cidade. O presente artigo expoe esse estudo de caso, avaliado atraves de metodos e tecnicas como aporte documental, observacoes assistematicas in loco, entrevistas e aplicacao metodologica do “Passeio Acompanhado”, refletindo acerca da importancia da acessibilidade no transporte para garantir o direito de ir e vir dos cidadaos

CASA, DOCE LAR? REVISÃO TEÓRICA SOBRE AS REPRESENTAÇÕES MATERIAIS E IMATERIAIS DO HABITAR DOMÉSTICO

O artigo discute, a partir de revisão teórica, o habitar doméstico e seus aspectos de composição materiais e imateriais. Procura-se compreender os significados da palavra habitar, transcendendo o pragmatismo formal e utilitário, dividindo-o hierarquicamente como: abrigo, casa e lar, e compreendendo que para cada uma dessas denominações, há critérios distintos de ambiência. O abrigo é entendido como proteção. A casa assume o conceito de abrigo e as relações simbólicas no ambiente construído. O lar é o conjunto dos dois conceitos citados, junto às relações interpessoais. Como representação material, o habitar doméstico necessita proteger, definindo limites. A representação imaterial é que atribui sentido ao ambiente construído, fazendo dele um lugar. A relação entre as representações materiais e imateriais é que conceituam abrigo, casa e lar e dão verdadeiro sentido ao ambiente construído.Palavras-chave: Habitar doméstico. Casa. Material. Imaterial

CASA, DOCE LAR? REVISÃO TEÓRICA SOBRE AS REPRESENTAÇÕES MATERIAIS E IMATERIAIS DO HABITAR DOMÉSTICO

O artigo discute, a partir de revisão teórica, o habitar doméstico e seus aspectos de composição materiais e imateriais. Procura-se compreender os significados da palavra habitar, transcendendo o pragmatismo formal e utilitário, dividindo-o hierarquicamente como: abrigo, casa e lar, e compreendendo que para cada uma dessas denominações, há critérios distintos de ambiência. O abrigo é entendido como proteção. A casa assume o conceito de abrigo e as relações simbólicas no ambiente construído. O lar é o conjunto dos dois conceitos citados, junto às relações interpessoais. Como representação material, o habitar doméstico necessita proteger, definindo limites. A representação imaterial é que atribui sentido ao ambiente construído, fazendo dele um lugar. A relação entre as representações materiais e imateriais é que conceituam abrigo, casa e lar e dão verdadeiro sentido ao ambiente construído.Palavras-chave: Habitar doméstico. Casa. Material. Imaterial

Design for all Senses. Accessible Spaces for Visually Impaired Citizens

The central purpose of this study is to contribute to our knowledge of designing in a way that can be supported by the knowledge of the situation, and by the experience and expectations of those who are affected by design. In this case it means to enable us to find methods that can support the development of design actions to improve the accessibility of public open urban places for visually impaired persons, enhancing their perception and understanding of space, increasing their possibilities of orientating and taking independent decisions, and enabling them participate in the city life. To fully achieve this aim it is necessary to understand their rights as citizens, and also their particular needs and problems arising from the reduction or absence of vision. To achieve this aim three design projects for a central urban area in Brazil were developed involving different professionals working under different constraints. The specificity of each design situation brought the possibility of integrating and combining the different spheres of knowledge necessary to solve the problem from an Universal Design perspective. In this way, theoretical knowledge about spatial perception process, supported the understanding of the first-hand information given by visually impaired persons, and oriented the process of a differentiated spatial analysis based on a non-visual frame of reference. Consequently, the generated knowledge is essentially contextual, being the search not focused on the development of model solutions to be applied in different situations. What is searched is to support the analytical capacity and reflective attitude, which are necessary to solve complex problems such as designing for persons who have different needs and abilities. The initial intentions evolved into a more general questioning about architectural practice. This practice usually focuses on the technical and visually aesthetic dimensions of space, often leaving aside its other sensory attributes, and the life that animates space. Studying space in a different light, brought reflections about the need to consider the \u27invisible\u27 and usually disregarded non-visual attributes to improve spatial quality, not only in the design of accessible spaces for the visually impaired, but for all persons and for all senses

The orientation and mobility of visual impaired people in bus and subway networks in Brazil

Spatial orientation depends both on the information available in the surrounding’s environment and on the individual's ability to perceive and deal with this information. To be fully understand by its users as a transport network and, to independently move from one place to another, the urban public transport service must be able to provide accessible information where users can easily discover and reach different, and to socially engage in local activities. In Brazil, the information disposable to users is scarce and sometimes nonexistent in the urban public transport (PT), especially regarding the supply of information to everyone. This paper presents some doctoral research’s results applied in Brazil and discuss blind users’ orientation and mobility in urban public transport network. The investigation involved around two hundred blind and partially impaired users from many Brazilian regions where surveys were conducted; additionally, interviews with a focus group and the "Accompanied Walks” method. The results of the latter are here presented, showing environmental barriers and users needs

ESTUDO ERGONÔMICO DE AMBIÊNCIA NO HABITAR DOMÉSTICO DO ACOLHIMENTO INSTITUCIONAL

Estudo Ergonômico, Ambiência, Acolhimento Institucional O acolhimento institucional recebe crianças e adolescentes e salvaguarda os direitos básicos. O estudo ergonômico teve o objetivo de definir parâmetros para o ambiente construído aproximar-se da ambiência do habitar doméstico. O método principal foi o Jogo de Imagens e Palavras. Privacidade e territorialidade mostraram-se importantes para alcançar o objetivo. Ergonomic study, Ambience, Shelter The shelter receives children and adolescents, and safeguard the basic rights. The ergonomic study aimed to define parameters for the built environment approach the ambience of domestic dwelling. The main method was the game Images and Words. Privacy and territoriality shown to be important to achieve the goal. &nbsp