Caroline Yanson

Imagine experiencing architecture not through sight but through a rich tapestry of other sensory inputs—touch, sound, smell, and the sensation of both natural and artificial light—designed to deepen the connection between people and the spaces they inhabit. In my thesis, I take a sensory-driven approach to architecture through a design for an activity center for individuals with low or no vision. Rather than serving solely medical or educational functions, the center fosters social interaction, learning, and recreation through an immersive, multisensory environment. The project was inspired by the challenges faced by my grandmother, who has macular degeneration, and informed by conversations with experts such as Chris Downey, a renowned blind architect and advocate for inclusive design, and Shane Myrbeck, the head acoustical engineer at Arup, who was involved in designing the award-winning Lighthouse Building for the Blind and Visually Impaired.

The project focuses on creating environments that allow for intuitive, confident navigation, integrating tactile, acoustic, olfactory, and lighting strategies to improve spatial awareness and accessibility for people with visual impairments. The center encourages both structured and spontaneous engagement through hobbies, games, and shared experiences, removing barriers that often exclude people with vision loss. My process involved research, interviews, embossing, 3D printing, sketching, modeling, and other steps; the design evolved through hands-on exploration. My project takes into account the wide spectrum of visual impairments and challenges the current limitations of accessible design. Although the ADA has made important progress in a number of areas, it offers limited guidance on visual impairments. This project advocates for the idea that visual impairment should not limit participation in life.