Designing universal access to ocean pools
Master of Architecture students were tasked with meeting the studio design brief 鈥楿niverse of Touch鈥�. The brief was to develop universal access to ocean pools, including beach and rockpools, to provide access to a healthy environment for all communities, using the ocean pool at Malabar as a pilot study.
Students were challenged to produce collaborative designs to a real-life brief that focused specifically on access for blind and low vision audiences.
鈥淭his topography where land and water meet is part of the Australian beach culture and deeply within our understanding of community,鈥� said聽, who has been revolutionising the postgraduate architecture design studio units of study,听in collaboration with Master of Architecture Program Director聽Paolo Stracchi.
Through the project students developed ways to produce tactile maps representing natural landscapes, and designs that stimulate people to actively engage with the edge of the sea. This also included developing tactile representations for the environment, such as data on marine and wildlife, to stimulate enjoyment.
Students developed strategies for comprehensive touch maps to enable overview and access for blind and low vision audiences, showcasing how new technologies, such as drone flights, can deliver new datasets that allow them a better sense of their location.
The 鈥楿niverse of Touch鈥� project was developed with input from聽聽(formerly Royal Institute for Blind and Partially sighted)聽and Sydney-based architect, artist and designer聽.
The design brief is one of seven briefs offered in the new Master of Architecture structure, that engage with聽聽called for by the United Nations to address climate change. The 鈥楿niverse of Touch鈥� studio focuses on the intersection of three SDGs:聽,听, and聽
鈥淥ur interactions with objects, surfaces and spaces depend largely on our unique physical characteristics and sensory capabilities,鈥� said Associate Professor Reinhardt. 鈥淧eople with different sets of abilities, such as the blind and partially-sighted, need to decode and choreograph an array of sensory interactions. In this context, inclusive design can contribute to an equal and cohesive society.鈥�
Through the architecture design studio units, students have also been developing important聽graduate qualities聽that assist them to develop broader skills and attributes, including inventiveness, cultural competence and an integrated professional, ethical and personal identity.
鈥淢eeting authentic design briefs is one of the ways students are developing highly valued skills in the community and workplace that will better equip them to respond to real-world challenges,鈥� added Associate Professor Reinhardt.
The case study has been presented to Randwick City Council.聽The scanning, 3D printing, and robotic milling was produced by聽.