TACTILE FLOOR PLANS

Assignment: Senior Thesis
May 2023

THE IDEA

In the months before my senior capstone, I viewed a social media post in which a woman described the struggle of navigating new buildings with a visual impariment. If she had an appointment in a new/unknown place her sollution was to visit the location a day ahead and walk it with her cane, orienting herself in preparation. I began to think of different useful aids in these scenarios, and was led to the idea of a tactile floor plan.

Using the notably accessible Siebel Center for Design as a test subject, I simplified formal floor plans into an intuitive and replicable tactile key. This key emphasizes critical elements like stairs, ramps, and emergency exits. My aim was to create a standardized, adaptable system for tactile floor plans, addressing the current lack of consistency. This universal approach promotes true accommodation, especially in complex spaces like hospitals and airports, ensuring usability for everyone through its dual-sensory design.