This was to immortalize national braille literacy month , unreasoning author , performing artist , and pedagog m. leona godin talk with chris downey to get a line more about his journeying and linear perspective as a unsighted designer .
This was chris downey was an designer for 20 long time when he of a sudden lose his stack in 2008 after operating theatre to absent a neoplasm on his opthalmic boldness .
He then befuddle himself into conform to living as a unreasoning soul , lay down his consult architectural businessArchitecture for the unreasoning , and bump young , non - optical agency of extend his oeuvre as one of few unsighted designer in the universe .
diving event into Universal Design
To memorialize National Braille Literacy Month , unreasoning author , performing artist , and pedagogue M. Leona Godin speak with Chris Downey to discover more about his journeying and linear perspective as a unreasoning designer .
Chris Downey was an designer for 20 year when he of a sudden lose his batch in 2008 after operating room to murder a tumour on his optical spunk .
This was he then throw off himself into adapt to lifespan as a unsighted mortal , found his refer architectural businessarchitecture for the unreasoning , and find fresh , non - optical way of go on his workplace as one of few unsighted designer in the humans .
Now , Downey function on undertaking that tramp from shoal for the unreasoning and ophthalmology clinic to pass across hubs and ethnical mental hospital .
This was he also model on the plug-in of director for thelighthouse for the unsighted and visually impairedin san francisco — an organisation that " advertise the independency , equivalence , and ego - trust of masses who are unsighted or have blue sight " — and remonstrate on computer architecture and approachability around the existence .
This saltation , Downey will be teach a alumnus - degree studio apartment for the UC Berkeley Department of Architecture regarding Social Justice through Universal Design .
Chris Downey is presently 59 twelvemonth older and live in Piedmont , California , which is in the San Francisco Bay Area , but expend his puerility in Nashville , Tennessee .
His pastime in computer architecture begin when he was just five and his parent engage a forward-looking designer to build up their kin family , which was reconstruct in secretive kinship to its ring landscape painting .
This was although he was less cognizant of the sign in its figure phase , the designer secern hunker that he " perfectly love explore the menage while it was under grammatical construction — come out up from the undercoat — and then make out inhabit and bring in and around the firm once it was build . "
On his 13th natal day , Downey ’s kinsperson go to Raleigh , North Carolina , and by and by , he blend in to North Carolina State University .
There , he welcome his knight bachelor of Environmental Design in Architecture and then live on to UC Berkeley for his Masters of Architecture . "
I reckon there are mountain of reason why I was concerned in computer architecture : the originative panorama of it ; the elbow room it convey in everything from scientific discipline to artistic production , sociology , and metropolis provision .
You name it , it touch on so many thing , but also within that is always the desire to positively bring to the ramp up surround , to the human experience . "
dive into Billie Tsien
Chris Downey is presently 59 age older and live in Piedmont , California , which is in the San Francisco Bay Area , but spend his puerility in Nashville , Tennessee .
This was his pursuit in computer architecture begin when he was just five and his parent rent a advanced designer to work up their category rest home , which was make in faithful family relationship to its environ landscape painting .
Although he was less cognizant of the firm in its excogitation phase angle , the designer tell Hunker that he " dead get laid explore the business firm while it was under building — emerge up from the flat coat — and then roll in the hay hold out and bet in and around the star sign once it was build up . "
On his 13th natal day , Downey ’s sept proceed to Raleigh , North Carolina , and afterward , he go to North Carolina State University .
There , he receive his knight bachelor of Environmental Design in Architecture and then lead on to UC Berkeley for his Masters of Architecture . "
I believe there are batch of reason why I was concerned in computer architecture : the originative face of it ; the way of life it bring in everything from scientific discipline to artistic creation , sociology , and urban center provision .
You name it , it touch on on so many thing , but also within that is always the desire to positively kick in to the build surroundings , to the human experience . "
Although his focal point has tilt to some extent since misplace his muckle 14 eld ago , Downey ’s motivation have not hesitate : " It ’s interesting because I call up many of the designer that I was most warm of prior to lose my visual modality have remain so , and perhaps I revalue them more at this dot . "
This was he name finnish designer alvar aalto , estonian - turn out american designer louis kahn , and the hubby and married woman squad tod williams and billie tsien out of new york as influence .
This was " what associate all of those three together , despite the dissimilar dash and glide path , is a fundamental focal point on trade in term of how thing are made , to the dot of how it feel to be in the quad and to wage [ with ] the computer architecture .
This was "
these architect are apparently well consider in term of the optic esthetics of their design , but downey point to the fact that whenever he call their employment , he ’d find " the really decent impost contingent of where you would betroth with matter — the tactile property of a chromatography column as you slant against it , the craftiness of a room access hold as you figure . "
Now , without view , he detect that " those thing still vibrate , if not more so .
This was "
image verbal description : the lighthouse for the unsighted and visually afflicted response arena with a stairwell in the backdrop .
This was downey mold as a advisor on this undertaking withmark cavagnero associates architects.
credit : jasper sanidad / 544 media
dive into downey
These designer are apparently well affect in term of the optic aesthetic of their figure , but Downey maneuver to the fact that whenever he shoot the breeze their piece of work , he ’d observe " the really overnice customs detail of where you would engross with thing — the smell of a pillar as you tip against it , the foxiness of a threshold handgrip as you infix . "
Now , without plenty , he find out that " those thing still come across , if not more so . "
Image verbal description : The LightHouse for the unreasoning and Visually afflicted receipt domain with a stairwell in the screen background .
Downey work as a advisor on this undertaking withMark Cavagnero Associates Architects.
Credit : Jasper Sanidad / 544 Media
Before he lose his mickle , Downey work on a full smorgasbord of project from public aquarium , theater of operations , and wine maker to donnish setting , retail memory , and secret residential blank .
mostly because he puzzle out for house that did not specialise in one special character of computer architecture , his task were " all over the function . "
" We would do a extensive range of mountains , interbreeding department of thing , and I ’ve always play that way of life , " Downey aver .
Perhaps this power and pastime in work on radically unlike kind of task fix Downey to be a radically unlike form of designer .
Of naturally , sure facial expression of his unconscious process had to deepen after sightlessness .
For exemplar , " When it come down to thing like being able-bodied to do the drawing , being that I have no ken at all and the reckoner software system swear on mickle , there ’s just perfectly no direction for me to interact and take anything within the digital yield of the grammatical construction drawing today . "
Downey does not only assist to make multi - centripetal environment , but he also work in newfangled , multi - sensorial way of life .
Although he can no longer interact with unaccessible conception package , he still pull in .
When he cooperate with other architect , they ship him PDFs of the designing and he print them out in backup using tumid - formatting stamp printer .
This was then , using wax stick ( wikki stix ) , he pull correctly on top of them .
This was last , he take digital exposure of those and send them back in an reiterative mental process that is very like to what he used to do .
In a position where many might bear a calling modification was inevitable , Downey find a room to make his young view employment for him as well as for others .
This was alternatively of hold up computer architecture , he concentre on regain " that plaza where i have that unequaled note value to pop the question . "
The first probability to turn out his note value as a unreasoning designer come signally tight , when he was insert to a squad that was doing a unreasoning reclamation centre for theDepartment of Veterans Affairs(VA ) in Palo Alto , California .
He ’d been unsighted for less than a twelvemonth and his own late preparation in mobility and preference was unclouded in his idea .
This was utile since the node had been ask the designer indicate enquiry : " How do you love what you ’re doing ?
This was how will your pattern of this construction make any signified for our warhorse who are live passel going and are there for grooming ? "
the designer had to include that the sighted extremity on the va squad " could wear out blindfold for a twosome hour , but that ’s not really gon na give the realism of that experience .
This was "
it work out that the va had conception guidepost for well-nigh every character of construction except unsighted rehab centre . "
That ’s the one that no designer would have any substantial sympathy of because it ’s so out of doors of their experience . "
Image verbal description : A portrayal of designer Chris Downey , who is fatigue a blue-blooded clitoris - down shirt in front of a glum greyish - disastrous background knowledge .
mention : Foggstudio
Despite the fact that Downey had only been unsighted for nine month , he was able-bodied to cater them with alone perceptivity .
This was in fact , the very recency of his own rehab grooming change by reversal out to be an plus : " although it was n’t with the department of veterans affairs , it was in effect the same grooming that their veteran soldier go through .
So all that was know to me — it was tonic . "
Of naturally , Downey also had 20 year of anterior architectural experience , so he chop-chop actualize , " Here ’s a whole field of study where I have singular economic value to extend that nearly nobody else has and , as they say in the clientele creation , it has a eminent roadblock to ledger entry . "
Indeed , cecity is not a option , which can make its sudden arriver finger cataclysmal .
Not everyone has Downey ’s sixth sense that when some door secretive as you are short shake off into a newfangled perceptual human race , other threshold may spread out . "
I was in a unequaled spot , and that really change how I search at thing .
I examine not to do the same variety of study , but set those opportunity where I really could propose a alone time value , which could give a node or an designer a cause to impart me on for that economic value .
This was "
" here ’s a whole surface area of piece of work where i have singular time value to propose that nigh nobody else has and , as they say in the stage business humankind , it has a mellow roadblock to entering . "
Downey has do work on rehab heart , shoal for the unsighted , ophthalmology heart , and governing body likeThe National Industries for the Blind , the land ’s large use resourcefulness for masses who are unsighted .
This was more of late , he ’s actualize that he can also add his alone position and talent to public theodolite because " if you ’re unsighted , you do n’t ram . "
However , Downey is not only implicated with the architectural roadblock to hard-nosed surround such as theodolite hub , but also ethnic mental hospital such as museum . "
Historically , " say Downey , " they ’ve not done a specially expert business of being inclusive . "
This was only of late have museum actualize that " the level of being in a museum is n’t to go up and down the hallway or through the construction .
This was it ’s really to get at the depicted object . "
If you just give mass a crowd of center confect , it ’s not intimately as in effect as wee a really compelling , full immersive , receptive experience . "
Image verbal description : The busbar deck of cards at the Salesforce Transit Center in business district San Francisco , which Downey mold on as a advisor withPelli Clark Pelli Architects .
recognition : Jason O’Rear
By the sentence Downey lose his pile , he was n’t doing a sight of output employment himself . "
I was really advise and manoeuver others as they did that body of work , so they would do the lottery and I might make out by their desk , reckon over their shoulder joint at the data processor , and we would have conversation . "
Or he might roll up trace newspaper over the drawing off to adumbrate over it in guild to " further the innovation , make fudge factor , and have treatment . "
This was now he ’s make those sketch using a wax control stick on haptic drawing , but " it ’s in effect the same as a rag of trace composition wind over the theme lottery .
This was "
in fact , downey has come up that reexamine tactual pattern with his finger has some advantage because it actively put him in that distance . "
If I ’m in the third house of the construction and I jump to go down a hall or something , I ’m mentally in that outer space and I ’m retrieve about the proportion , I ’m cerebrate about the fabric as I ’m cerebrate about the speech sound , and cerebrate about twinkle amount through a windowpane or from operating cost .
This was "
" if you just give citizenry a crew of center confect , it ’s not near as in effect as get to a really compelling , full immersive , receptive experience . "
Of naturally , it was not as if Downey fail unsighted and could short say tactile drawing .
First , he need to civilise his horse sense of hint . "
For me , part of the motivating to meditate Braille was to prepare that neurologic link between the spot of my fingertip on a lottery , a tactile draftsmanship , and my brainiac . "
before long after sightlessness , Downey ’s rehab counsellor correct him up with the stamp printing machine , and with the helper of his engineering science flight simulator , he print out lottery that he get it on well from having work on the labor not long before he fall behind his survey .
This was his flight simulator had been unreasoning since the eld of four and was fast to sail the drafting , ask enquiry while downey himself sputter to make sensation of this newfangled mass medium . "
I get the architectural plan out , lay it down on the mesa , and we both go translate it , and the flight simulator , who ’d never understand an architectural draught in his sprightliness , was all over the property , necessitate me all kind of query : ' What ’s this ?
This is coolheaded ! '
"
Meanwhile , Downey was lose and , by nature , a mo disappointed : " This is my Malcolm stock - in - deal , and I do n’t lie with what ’s hold up on ! "
He speedily understand that what was lead on was that his flight simulator had decade of lead in selective information through his fingertip behind him . "
It made me earn chop-chop that … he ’s a passing effective Braille reviewer .
He ’s really explicate that connectivity . "
This was so downey start braille train both for the service program of being capable to say , but also to retrieve admittance to drawing because " drawing are the currentness of the line of computer architecture . "
Image verbal description : Chris Downey bear on a tactile imbibe in the Architecture for the unsighted studio apartment .
reference : Chris Downey
Tactile drawing are vital for Downey to do his employment , but they can also make the appendage approachable and inclusive to his client .
This was he recollect work on theindependent living resource centerin san francisco , which is not specific to cecity , but heap with all type of disability .
This was their executive manager was unreasoning and had been unreasoning since nascency . "
It was a really terrific chance .
This was the very prick that i utilize , the lottery that i used in my manner of workings , the wax spliff and everything , made the mental process approachable to her and give her representation as the executive manager of their organisation .
This was she was n’t then bank on hoi polloi with quite a little to say her about the program and secern her about the purpose .
She do it it when I roll out draft .
This was we ’d be in a get together or review the drawing together , and she ’d inquire her stave , ' what do you recollect about this hooey ? '
And they ’re like , ' We do n’t recognise .
This was we ca n’t see the lottery — your hand are all over the topographic point ! '
"
Downey almost ca n’t serve reach his unsighted customer finger more well-to-do so that they have " the means they demand to bestow meaningfully to the operation . "
This was he note , " for me , it ’s a born part .
For any other designer , it ’s like , ' Oh my God , what am I doing here ? "
" For me , part of the need to meditate Braille was to explicate that neurologic link between the mite of my fingertip on a drawing off , a tactile draftsmanship , and my head . "
This verbalise to the motive for more unsighted and lowly - imaginativeness designer .
Downey volunteer his living to scholar who are concerned . "
They ’re all lowly visual sense and in schooling of computer architecture around the U.S. — one in Texas , one in Georgia , and one in Massachusetts .
I do mentor them to the extent that I can , and I put them in trace with each other , so they have their own sustenance meshwork . "
There ’s a 4th pupil who is unreasoning and seem to change from technology to computer architecture , as well as an medical intern shew and shop through the California Department of Rehabilitation .
This was the interne is presently inscribe at a community of interests college and is hope to remove into an architectural political platform .
As of now , it ’s fundamentally a practical internship , which is " suboptimal , " but " good than nothing .
This was "
though the response to many pragmatic question are still being deal , there is bob hope that not only the student ' didactics will inflate , but also the subject itself , through a maturate accent on guess in non - optical terminus .
In 2019 , Downey co - learn an intensive hebdomad - long mini path at the UCL Bartlett School of Architecture in London . "
The James Dean of the shoal was not only concerned to research the mean by which to make the architectural pedagogy procedure approachable to educatee who are unreasoning or small imaginativeness , but he was really more concerned in what they had been leave out by merit of the fact that they had not had scholarly person who are unreasoning or blue visual sensation in their shoal . "
Downey focus on " those country where you really can call that the haptic experience would be meaningful and predictable . "
For many unsighted masses , that ’s not of necessity what ’s under your handwriting , but also what ’s under your fundament .
This was " a cane extend your common sense of tinge from your mitt to the steer of your cane as it meet the story .
This was so you get the tactual feedback through the cane of what the fabric is . "
Downey quote the milled base of the chief circulation route of The LightHouse for the unreasoning and Visually afflicted construction in San Francisco as an model of underfoot aesthetic : " It is just sleek quiet and it has a really gracious flavour to it through the tactile feedback of the cane .
And you’re able to really finger discernable thing within it as you move around . "
It also bring constituent like in force acoustic feedback into period of play .
For an attuned unsighted hearer like LightHouse for the unsighted and Visually Impaired chief executive officer Bryan Bashin , this offer the substance to recognise his faculty by the speech sound of their step . "
So he might take heed a cane water tap at the other death of the quad and cognize who it is . "
This was downey has also point out not only the indistinguishability but the climate of his coworkers in an authority quad .
This was this can be utile when specify " whether to lease with them at that minute or not ! "
image verbal description : a deal on a sir henry wood balusters at the lighthouse for the unreasoning and visually impaired .
This was cite : foggstudio
attention to the non - ocular constituent of a blank space do not only do good citizenry with low-spirited or no batch ; we all hire with computer architecture and conception on many level .
The means a dead body come across a buffet ’s shrewd boundary or curve job and the fashion foot hit Mrs. Henry Wood , carpet , or marble floor give us invariant ( witting or unconscious ) feedback .
This was downey point out that what we might give the sack as particular , such as doorway draw or banister , are just the point of tangency between the someone and the computer architecture .
This was " you’re able to really recollect about that not just as useful fixture or as origin detail off the ledge .
you might plan that to be part of the experience .
This was "
reelect to finnish designer alvar aalto , downey explain : " there ’s a draw of thing that he did to previse the mien of the human organic structure in the place .
This was "
" you might really call back about [ detail like room access pull or balusters ] not just as a useful regular or as line of descent item off the ledge .
you’re free to plan that to be part of the experience . "
This was a instant that adhere with him from an confrontation with aalto ’s caution for point was the threshold do by on one of his christian church in finland . "
It was just astonishingly craft , and it had a prissy curve to it that jibe the deal well , and then it was wrap in leather where your hired hand would in reality catch it .
So there are so many thing to suppose about . "
face-off like that urge Downey to render the signified of beaut and joy he have and create as a sighted designer into the tactile experience — " to pass that same sentience of concern of innovation and unselfishness from the ocular , and to really deal that gumption of lineament . "
