THE GUIDING SPINE- A PATH OF PERCEPTION
Loading...
Date
2025
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
UMT, Lahore
Abstract
My thesis aims to understand the human senses and how a person perceives space (specially
visually impaired people), The typology of this project is an educational institute for the blinds
and visually impaired and the site of this project is in Lahore as Punjab consists of highest
number of visually impaired people and then as Lahore is the main city of Punjab, moreover it
consists a high number of visually impaired people.
Vision is considered a dominant sense and visual impaired people rely almost 80% on hearing
as they either cannot see or have difficulty in seeing. Vision alone is given a lot of importance
than other senses.
This Project aims to create inclusive learning environment that meets the needs of a visually
impaired person. My research will explore the use of the senses within the built environment
by studying the ways through which blind perceive the built space. Visually impaired people
use location and directional clues from a different aural, tactile, olfactory and kinesthetic
senses. The textures, scents, acoustics make up the built environment of a space while
providing landmarks and messages to visually impaired.
All this information collectively helps them in creating their own mental maps of the space that
eventually help them in finding their way. Visually impaired perform their tasks confidently in
a familiar environment. An environment that is known to the visually impaired through
different sensorial cues in familiar environment. While an unfamiliar or hostile environment
needs to be explored. Design that is visually dominant is a barrier for the visually impaired as
it reduces their understanding of the space as slow and incomplete. My project will focus on
how the built environment can be made more accessible and hospitable for the blind people.
The research will also help me to understand ways through which architectural experience can
be made more inclusive. A Space must be a comprehensive sensory experience. A design
vii
accounting for all senses by which we perceive our spatial information will prove to be far
more holistic and complete than that which only uses sight.