DeafSpace: What's That?
Enter the room. Rearrange the chairs into a circle. Draw the blinds; the sun is making it hard to see. Are the overhead lights on? Can everyone see?
As anyone who has entered an ASL classroom in a multipurpose building knows, there are a number of adjustments that tend to be made when Deaf and/or signing people congregate. Although the adjustments referred to above are “long-held cultural traditions” (“What is DeafSpace?” n.d.) that Deaf people in various times and places have followed, they have recently become a formal area of architectural study known as DeafSpace.
Reimagining built environments so as to best suit the needs of Deaf people, architect Hansel Bauman founded the DeafSpace Project (DSP) with Gallaudet University’s ASL Deaf Studies Department in 2005. DSP has established DeafSpace Guidelines, which include more than 150 different architectural elements that should be taken into account when constructing spaces to be used by Deaf people.
These elements fall into five categories: sensory reach; space and proximity; mobility and proximity; light and colour; and acoustics (“What is DeafSpace?” n.d.). They aim to address not only the practical needs of communication, but also the need we all have to feel safe and secure in our surroundings.
Sensory Reach
This refers to the needs of Deaf people to be spatially oriented and visually aware of the activities in their surroundings. Because they are highly attuned to visual and tactile cues such as shadows, vibrations, and the position of people in an environment, Deaf people can "read" their surroundings and various activities in ways that hearing people do not. Built environments can be designed so as to provide visual and tactile reach in 360 degrees, extending Deaf people's awareness and making spatial orientation easier ("What is DeafSpace?" n.d.). For example, installing windows in walls that divide rooms or building such walls to waist-height can allow Deaf people to see what is happening in other areas.
Space and Proximity
A visual-spatial language such as ASL necessitates that signers maintain enough distance to accommodate each others' signing space when conversing. This space is typically greater than that maintained by people holding a spoken conversation, and as more signers join the conversation, the space between them grows so that all participants can access the communication. The layout of furniture and rooms takes into account these characteristics of signed communication ("What is DeafSpace?" n.d.). For example, movable chairs without armrests make it possible to adjust the size of a "conversation circle" and permit signers the full use of their signing space.
Mobility and Proximity
When walking and conversing at the same time, signers usually maintain a wide space between them in order to facilitate clear visual communication. They will also scan the surroundings to check for hazards and to navigate, adjusting their path when necessary. Landscapes, buildings, pathways, and rooms can be designed so that signers can move through space unimpeded ("What is DeafSpace?" n.d.). For example, creating wider hallways can allow signers to hold conversations while walking without feeling cramped.
Light and Colour
Glare, shadow patterns, and backlighting are all examples of poor lighting conditions that disrupt visual communication. They also contribute to eyestrain, which in turn can contribute to a loss of concentration. By installing proper electrical lighting and design and architectural elements that modulate natural light, a gentler light that is better suited to visual communication can be created. In addition, walls can be painted with colours that contrast skin tones, such as blues, greens, and some reds ("What is DeafSpace?" n.d.). For example, paint that is matte rather than glossy can be used on walls in order to reduce glare.
Acoustics
Deaf people with some level of hearing may use hearing aids or cochlear implants, and different sounds in the environment can be distracting to these people. Hard building surfaces tend to reflect sound waves in a way that causes reverberation that can be not only distracting, but also painful. The minimization of reverberation and background noise should be a priority when designing spaces used by Deaf people ("What is DeafSpace?" n.d.). For example, carpeted tiles can reduce reverberation, and noisy air conditioners and generators can be placed where they will cause the least amount of disruption.
A few other ways to transform space into DeafSpace:
Essentially, DeafSpace aims to create spaces that have maximum visual access and promote interaction.
Watch DSP founder Hansel Bauman discuss insights he gained via DSP in a talk at MIT entitled, "Deaf Architecture - The Resonance of Place and the Senses":
As anyone who has entered an ASL classroom in a multipurpose building knows, there are a number of adjustments that tend to be made when Deaf and/or signing people congregate. Although the adjustments referred to above are “long-held cultural traditions” (“What is DeafSpace?” n.d.) that Deaf people in various times and places have followed, they have recently become a formal area of architectural study known as DeafSpace.
Reimagining built environments so as to best suit the needs of Deaf people, architect Hansel Bauman founded the DeafSpace Project (DSP) with Gallaudet University’s ASL Deaf Studies Department in 2005. DSP has established DeafSpace Guidelines, which include more than 150 different architectural elements that should be taken into account when constructing spaces to be used by Deaf people.
These elements fall into five categories: sensory reach; space and proximity; mobility and proximity; light and colour; and acoustics (“What is DeafSpace?” n.d.). They aim to address not only the practical needs of communication, but also the need we all have to feel safe and secure in our surroundings.
Sensory Reach
This refers to the needs of Deaf people to be spatially oriented and visually aware of the activities in their surroundings. Because they are highly attuned to visual and tactile cues such as shadows, vibrations, and the position of people in an environment, Deaf people can "read" their surroundings and various activities in ways that hearing people do not. Built environments can be designed so as to provide visual and tactile reach in 360 degrees, extending Deaf people's awareness and making spatial orientation easier ("What is DeafSpace?" n.d.). For example, installing windows in walls that divide rooms or building such walls to waist-height can allow Deaf people to see what is happening in other areas.
Space and Proximity
A visual-spatial language such as ASL necessitates that signers maintain enough distance to accommodate each others' signing space when conversing. This space is typically greater than that maintained by people holding a spoken conversation, and as more signers join the conversation, the space between them grows so that all participants can access the communication. The layout of furniture and rooms takes into account these characteristics of signed communication ("What is DeafSpace?" n.d.). For example, movable chairs without armrests make it possible to adjust the size of a "conversation circle" and permit signers the full use of their signing space.
Mobility and Proximity
When walking and conversing at the same time, signers usually maintain a wide space between them in order to facilitate clear visual communication. They will also scan the surroundings to check for hazards and to navigate, adjusting their path when necessary. Landscapes, buildings, pathways, and rooms can be designed so that signers can move through space unimpeded ("What is DeafSpace?" n.d.). For example, creating wider hallways can allow signers to hold conversations while walking without feeling cramped.
Light and Colour
Glare, shadow patterns, and backlighting are all examples of poor lighting conditions that disrupt visual communication. They also contribute to eyestrain, which in turn can contribute to a loss of concentration. By installing proper electrical lighting and design and architectural elements that modulate natural light, a gentler light that is better suited to visual communication can be created. In addition, walls can be painted with colours that contrast skin tones, such as blues, greens, and some reds ("What is DeafSpace?" n.d.). For example, paint that is matte rather than glossy can be used on walls in order to reduce glare.
Acoustics
Deaf people with some level of hearing may use hearing aids or cochlear implants, and different sounds in the environment can be distracting to these people. Hard building surfaces tend to reflect sound waves in a way that causes reverberation that can be not only distracting, but also painful. The minimization of reverberation and background noise should be a priority when designing spaces used by Deaf people ("What is DeafSpace?" n.d.). For example, carpeted tiles can reduce reverberation, and noisy air conditioners and generators can be placed where they will cause the least amount of disruption.
A few other ways to transform space into DeafSpace:
- Use sliding doors where possible so that signed conversations can continue uninterrupted.
- Use glass walls.
- Install wooden floors so that banging can be felt from other rooms.
- Create circular seating areas.
- Position windows so that they provide diffuse, rather than direct, light ("Making Your Space 'Deaf-Friendly'," 2011).
Essentially, DeafSpace aims to create spaces that have maximum visual access and promote interaction.
Watch DSP founder Hansel Bauman discuss insights he gained via DSP in a talk at MIT entitled, "Deaf Architecture - The Resonance of Place and the Senses":