Perceptual Mobility: A School for the Newly BlindZach FarrellADS VIIISpring 2012

“As buildings are increasingly conceived and confronted through the eye rather than the entire body - as the camera becomes the ultimate witness to and mediator of architecture - the actual experience of a building, of its spaces and materials, is neglected. ”

Juhani Pallasmaa, Encounters

Thesis

As human beings, we perceive the world through our seven senses: vision, hearing, touch, smell, taste, time and spatial awareness. The eye has evolved into the most complex sensory organ; it receives information faster than any other part of the body. Therefore, humans have transformed into visual organisms due to the ease of access to information.

Juhani Pallasmaa criticizes humanity’s dependence on vision as a neglect of sensual experiences. Humans no longer sense a space, only see it. Architecture loses its presence as we progress as visual beings. How can architecture have a presence without being seen?

Program In order to answer this question, I chose to explore a design for a School for the Newly Blind. It is a school for young adults, specifically eighteen to thirty-five year olds, who have recently lost their vision to any number of reasons.

The school will be affiliated with the National Federation for the Blind (NFB) because the concept of the organization responds to the human condition. Their slogan, “Necessity drives development”, drives the teaching methods. The best way to teach a human being independence is through two different problem solving situations: well-structured situations, and ill-structured situations. Well-structured problems are algorythmic, meaning that there is a specific formula to follow. Ill-structured problems are heuristic, meaning there are multiple formulas and solutions, leaving the best solution to be deduced from the set. (Refer to page 2 for a concept map of problem solving). Rehabilitation centers use this concept of problem solving to teach their students independence.

The best rehabilitation centers in the coutnry are located in Minnesota, Colorado, Iowa, and Louisiana and enroll an average total of one hundred twenty students year round. About twenty five of those students are from the Kansas/Missouri, due to the lack of such a center in the NFB Kansas Chapter. To cater to these students, the School for the Newly Blind is located in Kansas City, and more specifically the River Market District for its walkable characteristic and community aspect. The school is located at the corner of 3rd street and Walnut because it is directly across the street from the City Market that provides sensual opportunities through the farmer’s market, dining, and shopping venues.

The City Market and the River Market District as a whole caters to the ill-structured problem solving criteria of the school, while the well-structured criteria is held within the building itself. The dual aspect of the building within the district fulfills the problem solving concept of the NFB and demonstrates the non visual presence of architecture.

The architecture of the school has a presence within the district because the district is used as a learning tool, while also having a presence within the minds of the students through the sensual experiences inside the school.

School for the Newly BlindZach FarrellADS VIISpring 2012

Manon Eileen, manoneileen.com

Juhani Pallasmaa, The Thinking Hand

Well-Structured

Algorithms

Easily defined, focused, classification of type

Single correct set of logical operations

Implements strategies and evaluate result

“Necessity drives development” -Juan Ruiz, Perceptual Mobility Coach, World Access for the Blind

Problem Solving

UnderstandingProblem

Representation

Solution

Monitoring

Evaluation

Ill-Structured

Heuristics

Unclear Description and goals, multiple

understandings

An arguement support-ed by sufficient and consistent evidence

Justifying selections, and must support

decisions and defend it

ExternalInternal

The best way an individual learns is through problem solving exercises. Problem solving, as defined by Natalie Mino, is split into two groups: well and ill structured situations. Well-structured situations have a formula to find a correct answer, linear thinking. Ill-structured situations require adaptive thinking, the ability to find multiple solutions, and deduce which one is best.

Site

The site for this particular study requires one sensitive not only to the needs of the blind, but also to sensual experiences.

103 N 3rd St is in the River Market District of Kansas City, Missouri. The area is a recently rejuve-nated neighborhood that will serve as a district classroom for learning orientation and mobility. The major adjacency to the site is the City Market which provides a wealth of learning opportunities.

The key site issues are access, circulation, and relation to the City Market, each one existing at the district and building scale.

District scale

The blind must access the district by one of three modes of transportation: car, bus, or walking. Dropping off a student at the school requires a transition through a threshold onto the site. The bus stops are mainly on the southern portion of the district and would need to be sensitive to the needs of the blind. Walking into the district would be an entrance from the outer edges of the district, and would require dealing with circulation issues. The blind must be able to orient themselves in the district and move around independently.

Building scale

Accessing the building requires a transition through a specific threshold into the building, a move-ment from the street to the inside. Circulation within the building is pertinent so the blind can find their own way, in order to develop strategies for mobility. Becoming part of the City Market is important to provide plenty of learning opportunities outside the walls of an interior classroom.

The School for the Newly Blind is an internally and externally based classroom that will provide a opportunistic learning environment. The school will challenge the way a specific building is per-ceived by focusing on the sensual experiences a space can manifest. The School for the Newly Blind belongs at 103 N 3rd St because it poses a rich learning environment in its adjacency to the City Market, and its set piece quality within a district. The School for the Newly Blind challenges the visual presence of architecture.

81’

120’

Space List

Site areaFloor area ratio

8,5571.3

Internal

Classroom (2)Laboratory (3, kitchen, computer, ind. arts)LibraryCafe

Teacher WorkroomOfficeOffice Space (5)Conference Room

KitchenRestroomElevatorElevator MechMechanical RoomStairsJanitor Closet

Circulation 20%Total

2,2503,000

500300

775100700350

50040010010020011050

1,85311,122

Area (SF)

Serv

ice

T

each

er

Stu

dent