2020
How can architecture enable autonomy, dignity and social reintegration for visually impaired users?
This project proposes a Center for Rehabilitation and Social Reintegration for the Visually Impaired, conceived as an architectural system that prioritizes autonomy, sensory orientation, and social inclusion.
Located within an urban context, the building integrates education, therapy, and community programs through a spatial strategy that emphasizes movement, materiality, and environmental cues.
The design shifts the focus from visual dominance to multi-sensory spatial experience, allowing users to navigate through tactile flooring, sound references, vegetation, and continuous ramp circulation.
The project positions architecture as an active tool for empowerment rather than assistance.
Role & Scope
Architectural Design Lead
Led the development of a rehabilitation and reintegration center for visually impaired users, focusing on autonomy-driven spatial systems and inclusive architectural strategies.
Scope of work included:
Concept development based on sensory orientation principles
Urban integration and contextual analysis
Program definition and zoning strategy
Circulation design prioritizing ramp continuity and accessibility
Development of tactile and acoustic wayfinding systems
Volumetric studies and courtyard articulation
Architectural plans, sections, and technical drawings
3D modeling and visualisation
User journey and spatial experience diagrams
Spatial Strategy
The spatial organization is structured around a central courtyard that acts as the primary orientation anchor. This void becomes the cognitive reference point from which all programs are accessed.
A continuous ramp system connects all levels, replacing fragmented vertical circulation and ensuring uninterrupted movement. This strategy reinforces autonomy while creating a fluid spatial sequence across education, therapy, and community areas.
Program zones are layered from public to private, allowing gradual transitions and minimizing disorientation. Circulation paths are designed to be intuitive, supported by tactile flooring changes, acoustic cues, and material contrasts.
The building operates as an integrated spatial system where movement, perception, and function are aligned to support independent navigation.
Impact
The project demonstrates how architecture can move beyond compliance and become a proactive accessibility system.
By integrating tactile guidance, acoustic orientation, and continuous ramp circulation, the proposal creates an environment where visually impaired users can navigate independently and confidently.
The spatial strategy transforms accessibility into the core identity of the building, reducing reliance on assistance and reinforcing autonomy, dignity, and inclusion.
This project reflects a systems-thinking approach: aligning user experience, circulation, program distribution, and environmental design into a coherent spatial framework
Material Lighting
Material selection was approached as a sensory navigation tool rather than a purely aesthetic decision.
Textured flooring variations provide tactile guidance, allowing users to differentiate circulation paths from program areas through touch. Subtle material transitions reinforce spatial thresholds and help build cognitive mapping through repetition and contrast.
Natural materials such as concrete, wood, and vegetation introduce temperature and acoustic variations, supporting multi-sensory orientation. Surface contrasts were carefully controlled to avoid overstimulation while maintaining clarity.
Lighting strategy prioritizes diffused natural light, particularly through the central courtyard, which functions as the primary spatial anchor. Light intensity gradients help define hierarchy between public and therapeutic zones, while avoiding glare that could distort perception.
Together, materiality and light operate as an integrated guidance system, reinforcing autonomy and spatial confidence.
