THE SENSES: DESIGN BEYOND VISION

Abstract

Humans are sensory beings. We receive stimuli (visual, auditory, haptic etc.) from different sources which are used in correspondence with previous knowledge to perceive our surroundings. Even though all senses work together to provide knowledge, our senses are dominated by the modality that provides the most detailed information. People with visual luxury receive 70% of their data through sight. As architects, we also tend to focus more on the visual aspects of the design than any other sense. Recent data shows that almost 253 million people worldwide suffer from visual impairment which makes it difficult for them to navigate through an ocular centric world. With the exception of some schools, the representation of the Visually Impaired people is close to none in the urban scape of Pakistan. The thesis aims to fill that void with the introduction of an Informal Learning Centre for the Visually Impaired which mixes education and recreation to give space to them on an Urban Level. As the technological world progresses, the VI have employed technological devices to navigate the environment, while architecture still focuses on conventional methods like materiality, temperature, sounds etc. to aid these people. The aim of this thesis is to bridge the gap between technology and architecture by employing sensory devices and interplaying them with architectural elements to enhance the learning of visually impaired children in an educational institute. The goal is to help them develop insights and improve their other senses so they can better navigate around this ocular centric world.