Co-design: Tactile Models and Prototype as Common Language Tools between Designers and Visually Impaired People

Andréa Quadrado Mussi,Lauro André Ribeiro,Luísa Fernanda Nercolino Deon,Thaísa Leal Da Silva,Luísa Batista De Oliveira Silva

doi:10.13189/cea.2021.090532

Abstract

This article presents the use of tactile models and prototype as common language tools among designers, blind and visually impaired (B&VI), inserted in a collaborative design methodology. With the objective of realizing an interior architecture project and an outdoor area, including toys, for an association for visually impaired people in the city of Passo Fundo, RS, Brazil. It describes the process of participation and interaction between Association members, both adults and children, and architects in the development of these projects. It shows results of two co-design actions, which will subsidize a broader objective of a research that aims to define co-design methods, techniques and tools applied to the inclusion of Visually Impaired People in the process of architecture, urbanism, landscaping and interior design. The research related two co-design. The first is the co-design of the waiting / reception room and the external area for socializing and leisure, carried out with the adults of the association, took place in three moments: in the focus group, in the interaction with the tactile model and on the tours accompanied. The second co-design was carried out with the children of the association to develop two toys, the first to be inserted within the proposal of improving reception/ waiting, and the second for placement in the outdoor area of socializing and leisure. The interaction among designers, blind and visually impaired was intensive, allowing modifications and diverse insights about types of floors, layout and better and adequate colors for the best comfort and mobility inside the spaces. It seeks to demonstrate the importance of co-design as a way of including B&VI, as they are able to increase well-being and self-esteem, while effectively participating in the creation of the environment in which they are inserted; they manage to leave the passive zone that they normally find themselves in with regard to the architectural design process. The next steps of the research are to finalize the toy design of the external area and the execution of all spaces.

Highlights

In the year of 2011, World Health Organization (WHO), in partnership with the World Bank, produced the World Disability Report published under the original title "World Report on Disability", in which it was found that every 5 seconds a person becomes blind in the world and that, of the total blindness cases, 90% occur in underdeveloped
The present article has as objective to study the collaborative project, which is demonstrated as a great tool of the project process both in decision making, when it is focused on the blind and visually impaired (B&VI), and in the form of social inclusion of people who, due to the supremacy of vision in architecture, always remain in passive zones, without any collaboration with the environment in which they are inserted
The main contribution of this article was to present means of representation that promote the effective participation of B&VI in the design process, with the use of digital fabrication

Summary

Introduction

In the year of 2011, World Health Organization (WHO), in partnership with the World Bank, produced the World Disability Report published under the original title "World Report on Disability", in which it was found that every 5 seconds a person becomes blind in the world and that, of the total blindness cases, 90% occur in underdeveloped. The present article has as objective to study the collaborative project, which is demonstrated as a great tool of the project process both in decision making, when it is focused on the B&VI, and in the form of social inclusion of people who, due to the supremacy of vision in architecture, always remain in passive zones, without any collaboration with the environment in which they are inserted It has as objective, to elaborate a proposal of project of improvement of an internal environment and of an external area of coexistence. Proposals will be presented for toys both for the internal area and for the external area In both collaborative projects occurred the Focus Group to obtain information that, according to Sperling, Vandier and Scheeren [13], happens from a contact with the space in study, to knowledge of the same, and later there is an interaction with the participants to understand wanted the needs. Each step is explained, dividing collaborative projects into two groups of users: adults and children

Collaborative Project 1 - With Adult Association Members

Collaborative Project 2 - With the Children of Association

Conclusions