Centre for Visually

Impaired
Ankit Kapoor | 12AR10005
Under the Guidance of Prof. Uttam Kumar Banerjee
A sighted person judges the blind not for
what they are but by the fear that blindness
inspires
-Pierre Valley
Project Brief
•To propose a vocational training & healthcare centre for an organization whose
primary objective is to empowerment of visually impaired individuals.

•A centre that will approve the living standards of Blind and low vision people.
Aims
•To convert the Tax-users into Taxpayers

•To produce Job Opportunities for the visually impaired.

•To provide exposure to such individuals.

Objectives
• The goal is to provide equal opportunities for people with visual disability.

• To provide better Medical facilities

• Provide Financial Assistance and Education to people with disability.

• Providing rehabilitation facilities for the newly blind

Scope
• Barrier Free Design
• Tactile Marking
• Innovative Structural System (Column free Design)
• Spatial organisation
• Lighting Design
• Safety & Security
• Circulation Fluidity
• Materials Study (with different Textures)
• Contrasting Colour Scheme
Literature Review
Overview
• According to 2001 census India has a DIFFERENTLY DISABLED
population of 21 Million people which Hearing
Speech 6%
are Physically handicapped out of which 7%
48% are Visually Impaired. Mental
11%
• A latest Times of India survey reports Visually
48%
that out of 37 million blind people
worldwide 12 million people reside in
India.
• 75% of the above cases are avoidable. Movement
28%
• Researches have shown that 85-90%
development of human brain is credited
to Visuals.
What is
Low
Vision?
People who suffer from a severe
reduction in vision that cannot be
corrected with conventional means
, such as refractive correction or
medication and reduces a person's
ability to function at certain or all
tasks.
Measuring Vision
Eye care professionals measures vision according to 2 main Standards:

Vision Clarity Snellen chart

Measurement
Standards
Visual Field Degree
Categorization
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines impaired vision in 5 categories:

1
• Low vision 1: is a best corrected visual acuity of 20/70.

2
• Low vision 2: starts at 20/200.

3
• Blindness 3: is below 20/400 or visual field between 5° and 10°.

4
• Blindness 4: is worse than 5/300 or visual field less than 5°.

5
• Blindness 5: is no light perception at all.
PWD Act
In India According to the PWD act (Person With Disability Act)
an individual with 40% or more visual incapability is stated as
Visually Impaired
In other words your vision is like this 
Eye Diseases causing such Impairment
Retinal Detachment Squinting Of Eye

Genetic Disorder Lasik Problem

Damaged Optic Nerve Glaring Problem

Night Blindness Pigmentation Problem

Tubular Vision Cat’s eye

Peripheral vision Tinted Eye

Design Considerations
In relation to the to design considerations Visually impaired people are divided into 2
categories:

Low vision people:

when they use buildings, rely on their partial ability to see.
Visually impaired

Blind people:
when they use buildings rely entirely on other senses, ie. touch, hearing,
smell and touch.
Design considerations for Visually impaired people include the following elements of
built environments:

Built
Environment

Lighting Colour Texture Acoustic Smell Signage

No Glare 70% colour Material Positioning Recognizing by

No Reflection contrast Texture to be well defined Smell, mainly
No Shadows accepted detected by acoustic items used in
generally foot or cane sensory
garden
Signage
Tactile guiding
path is required
to ensure
visualize
impaired person
familiarize with
the road and
path and is
avoided from the
flow of vehicular
movement.
Braille & Handrail Design
•Handrail to ramp or step shall be between 35mm to
50mm
•The top of handrail height shall lie between 850 mm
950mm
•Handrails should be tubular and its external diameter
between 40mm & 50mm
•Braille and tactile information to be
provided on handrail to facilitate
low vision people
•Directional signs to be marked
on handrails to
Anthropometry
The primary considerations in the design of school facility serving disabled
children or adults focus on four major principles:
1. The range of movement available to most physically disabled people
2. The strength of the physically disabled subject
3. The dimensions of prosthetic devices especially wheelchairs must be
considered
4. Due to the fact that many prosthetic devices including canes,
wheelchairs braces and crutches are made of hard materials ,materials
that show minimum sign of wear and tear should be used
Case Studies
Institute of Blind, Mexico

Institute of Blind, Budapest

Hazelwood School, Glasgow

Institute of
Blind,
Mexico
Institute of Blind, Mexico
Architects: Mauricio Rocha
Location: Mexico City, D.F., Mexico
Architect: Mauricio Rocha
Landscape Architect: Jerónimo Hagerman
Structure: Grupo Sai.
Area: 14000 sqm
Project Year: 2001

The Centre for the Blind and Visually Impaired was created as part of a program by the Mexico City
government to provide services to one of the most disadvantaged and highly-populated areas of
the city; Iztapalapa is the district with the largest visually impaired population in the Mexican
capital.
Building Features
• The 14,000 sqm complex is on corner plot bordered by two avenues.

• A blind wall encircles the complex on its four sides and acts as an acoustic barrier as
well as a retaining wall/blank to hold the earth moved from neighbouring wasteland
areas.

• In contrast to the abstract exterior, the internal facade of the boundary wall creates
banks that change shape, height, and orientation, thus creating various courtyards.
 Building Plan
• The floor plan, meanwhile, can
be read as a series of filters
which stretch out from the
entrance in parallel strips.
• The first filter is the building
that houses the administrative
offices, cafeteria, and utility
area.

Entry
Building Plan
• The second consists of two
parallel lines of buildings
organized symmetrically along
a central plaza. These buildings
contain a store, a sound and
touch gallery and five arts and
crafts workshops.

• The third filter has the

classrooms facing the gardens
and the most private
courtyards.

• Perpendicular to the entrance,

a series of double-height
volumes house the library,
gymnasium-auditorium, and
swimming pool.
Dressing
Room Classrooms

Central Plaza
With
Water Channel

Room Of
Machines

Library Cafeteria Administrative

Block
• A single storey building.
• The Centre aims to enhance spatial perception, cultivating the five senses as
experience and source of information.

• A water channel runs through the centre of the plaza, so that the sound of the
water guides users along their way.
•Horizontal and vertical lines in the concrete at hand height offer tactile clues to
identify each building.
•The Luminance of the building was increased drastically by using glass facades to
harness natural lighting to the maximum.
•Six types of fragrant
plants and flowers in the
perimeter gardens act as
constant sensors to help
orientate users within
the complex.
Institute for
the Blind,
Budapest
Institute for the Blind, Budapest
Architects: A4 Studio
Location: Budapest, Hungary
Architect: Géza Kendik, Zoltán Papp,
Orsolya Maza, Viktória
Dóczy, Sándor Gombár
Constructor: Grabarics Kft
Area: 1500 sqm
Project Year: 2015

The institute was founded in 1898, Budapest. Most of the children who are living here have
multiple disadvantages. There are blinds, disableds, mentally retardeds, and most of them are
orphans. The state supports them until the age of 18. After this age they have no place to go to.
Services Offered
It provides services to 250 blind students between the age 3 and 18. The
institute provides the following services:
National Board of Assessment and Rehabilitation

Kindergarten ,Pre-school and General school from grade 1 to year 8

Special Vocational and Training School

Methodology Institute and Resource Centre for integrated children

Boarding School
Building Features
The A4 Studio designed the home of the below 18
children. The new building is connected to the
existing one, with a bridge. In the first two floors
of the 5 storey building are the common spaces,
activity rooms and the dining room. In the 3 upper
floors are the bedrooms.
Site Plan Designed Building

Bridge

Existing Building
Building Features
•There aim was a simple, safe and
user friendly building, which serves
the life of the children.

•Most of the corridors get natural

light, which helps the orientation of
the blinds. The strong light
transmission is reduced by the
perforated metal sheets.
•These sheets are placed in front of
the large glass surfaces. The
perforation is formed from braille
subtitles, with the following words:
trust, home, shelter and love.

•Size and location of the windows are

different in every bedroom, which
can also help the orientation for the
kids.
Ground Floor Plan
First Floor Plan
Living Floor Plan
Section
Observations
• The circulation plan is been kept in a linear format so as to create less hindrances
and provide visual access.

• The linear organisation increases the chance of repetition of spaces which in turn
helps in fast learning of users

• The architects maximises the inlet of Natural lighting by punching as many windows
as possible in façade

• Further these windows were covered by perforated sheets so as direct light (which
will be a problem to low vision people)
Hazelwood School, Glasgow
The Game Changer!
Hazelwood School, Glasgow
Architects: Gordon Murray + Alan Dunlop Architects
Location: Glasgow, Scotland
Architect: Gordon Murray, Alan Dunlop, Stacy Philips, Fergal Feeny
Landscape Architect: Richard East
Structure: Paul McCrorey
Area: 2660 sqm
Project Year: 2007
Client: Glasgow City Council Education Services

Hazelwood provides accommodation for a maximum of 60 pupils, aged 3-18 years. The school snakes
through the parkland site, forming gentle curves around the existing mature trees.
The single story structure is built in natural materials
Main Features of the School
• The realization that the project was all about light, not darkness, "Because the
children can distinguish light and dark, as well as colours. So contrast and colour
play an important role in the design

• The school contains eleven (11) classrooms in a single story structure, providing
nursery through secondary education

• The distinctive curving interior spine meets the complex demands for an intuitive
way finding system

• Design of the games hall, trampoline area, and hydrotherapy pool created
opportunities for children to explore, extend their skills, and gain confidence
Plan
The curved form of the building reduces the visual scale of the main circulation spaces and
helps remove the institutional feel that a single long corridor might create

Entry
 Design features
•The unique sensory “trail rail wall” weaves
throughout the school and enables children to
practice mobility and orientation skills
•The trail rail wall is clad in cork, and has a warm feel
•It provides signifiers or tactile cues to assist children
with orientation and navigation through the school
•Within two weeks of exposure to the trail wall
system, they were successfully moving around the
building independently.
•The Architect also creates
hindrance, to train the students
better.

•Corridors are designed as

streets, which also assist with
orientation and mobility.
•High-level windows are
used to reduce distraction.

•Classrooms are oriented

north and open onto the
quietist part of the
grounds, the classroom
garden spaces

•The structural glulam*

timber frame casts
shadows within the
building to establish a
clear pattern along the
internal street of the
school
Distinctive Features
•The playground and playground furnishings enable children the freedom to play and
take risks at their own level
•A sensory garden attributed with walkways, play yard, swings create a park-like
setting for the school grounds.
The Focus Learning Room
The focus-learning rooms offer viewing for
staff and visitors without disturbing the
children. These areas also offer quiet time
as needed
Life Skill House
A separate residential unit, is used to teach the children basic life skills but also
provides respite accommodation.
Section
Materials used on the roof-
Timber Brick
Zinc Glass
Site Visit
Susrut Eye foundation centre

Lighthouse for the Blind

Susrut Eye
Foundation &
Research Centre,
Kolkata
Susrut Eye Foundation & Research Centre
Founders: Dr. Sunil Chandra Bagchi & Dr. Ratish
Address: HB-36/A/1, Sector III, Salt Lake City
Location: Kolkata
Area: 900 sqm (approx.)
Project Year: 1998

Susrut Eye foundation is an advanced ophthalmology eye care institution hospital in

Kolkata and was founded in the year 1998.
About the Centre
•The centre is run by a private organisation with collaboration with many NGO’s.
•A 7 storey building dedicated to eye treatment, education and few other auxiliary
spaces.
•The Centre is divided into 2 buildings the administrative block and the eye clinic.
•The centre has the capability of doing major & minor operations such as squint eye,
cataract, cat’s eye etc.
•Research Centre in finalisation stages. (for ammoluar eye)
•Centre also houses an ophthalmologist school.
•Also Provides services such as Lasik surgeries.
 Vertical Zoning
6th Floor • Class Rooms, Library, HR Dept., RSBY (Govt.)

5th floor • Guest House

4th floor • Optometrist Room, Wet Lab Training Room, Lasik Dept.

3rd Floor • Optometrist Room, Projector Room, USG, OCT, DFA services

2nd floor • Pediatric Ophthalmology, Squint Correction, Vision

Rehabilitation, Early Intervention, refraction

1st floor • General Ophthalmology, Glaucoma Clinic, Retina Clinic,

Cataract Clinic

Ground floor • Reception, canteen, Susrut opticians

Schematic Plan
Ground Floor
Service
Susrut
Zone
Optician’s
Service
Staircase Elevator

Circulation
Space Staircase
Elevator

Reception Sitting Canteen

Entry
Area Space
 Schematic Plan
First Floor
Ophthalmologist’s
Room
Refraction
Room
Optometrician's
Room
Service
Elevator
Staircase

Elevator Staircase

Reception Waiting
Area Area
Waiting Area

Kid’s Play Area

Ophthalmologists Room

Street Lamp Setup

for Kids
Refraction room Lasik Department Guest House Corridor
(Dim Lighting)
Building features

Automated Doors Information Kiosks Tactile Markings

Eye Treatment
For below 18 years

Hand Magnifier Dome Magnifier Bar Magnifier AD Magnifier

(For age 12+)
Eye Treatment
For 18+ years

Telescope Portable Magnifier

(Monopolar Instrument, used for distant (HD camera with 4.3″ LCD, used for
vision) reading)
Instruments
used In
Treatment

Telescope Haze Chart Trial Box Lea Symbol Chart

Requirements for a Primary Eye Care Centre
Ophthalmologist Room
Optometrist Room
Refraction Room
Operating Rooms for
 Retinoscope (Needs a Dark room)
 Street Lamp
 Auto Refractor Meter
 Lensometer
 Opthonoscope
--: Dio
--: Io (Needs a Dark room)
Auxilliary Spaces
such as reception Area, Lift Lobby, Toilets, Administration office etc.
Lighthouse
for the Blind
Lighthouse for the Blind, Kolkata
Address: No. 174, Shyama Prasad Mukherjee
Rd, Near Taligand P.S, Kalighat
Location: Kolkata
Area: 800 sqm (approx.)
Project Year: 1941

Lighthouse for the Blind was established in 1941 and came under the control of West
Bengal Government in the year 1963 but govt. stated to fund t in 1990. Presently it
functions to provide Education and Rehabilitation to the Blind.
About the Centre
•The centre is run both by the state government and the community donations.
•The school provides education till 12th standard and follows West Bengal Board
•One of the few schools in Kolkata which provides Senior Secondary education.
•The centre also provides boarding facilities to the students.
•The centre also houses an adult blind school.
•The centre conducts workshop for cardboard boxes and sheet making and also
houses a warehouse for the same.
•14 Blind people were currently working at the warehouse on a permanent payroll.
•Centre provides vocational training for the blind apart from counselling.
Types of Vocational Training Provided
Sensory Training
Sided-Guide Technique
Music Instrumental
Mobility Training
Cane Training
Outdoor & Indoor Techniques
Computer Training (JAWS & DAISY)
Braille Reading
 Spaces Distribution
The Centre is divided in 4 Blocks

Block A Block B Block C Block D

• Ground floor • Ground floor • Ground floor • Ground floor
 Principal’s Office  Cardboard Warehouse  Old office  Dining Hall
 Administrative Block  Future Expansion Space • Ist Floor • Ist & IIndFloor
• Ist & IInd Floor • Ist Floor  Music Room  Male Dormitories
 Rented to PnB Bank  Staff Room  Computer room
• IIIrd Floor  Class room’s  Library
 Auditorium • IInd Floor • IInd Floor
 Class Room’s  Female Dormitories
Schematic
Plan Block D Block C

Block B
Circulation
Space

Entry
Block A
Warehouse
Classrooms
Each Class consists of 12-15 Blind or Low Vision
Students.
 Library
Library could be maintained at a better level as the
bulky braille manuscripts were getting damaged

Music Room
Computer Room
A students
demonstrates
how the Braille
Pad is used.
Dining Hall
Observations
•Lack in Tactile Design

•No Open Space provided for the Kids even when the centre is functioning as a
boarding school

•No Medical Care

•Better Lighting could be introduced in classrooms

•Spaces especially circulation spaces should be designed according to there mobility

training.
Area Statement (Proposed)
Blind School
Space Area (sq. m) No. Total Area
Class Room’s 90 6 540
Dining hall 120 1 120
Computer Room 80 1 80
Library 100 1 100
VisAbility Store 36 1 36
Seminar Room 150 1 150
Exhibition Area 50 1 50
Dark Restaurent 120 1 120
Parking 150 1 150
Toilets 10 4 40
Total 1386
Total With Circulation Space 25% 1682.5
Area Statement (Proposed)
Administrative Block
Space Area (sq. m) No. Total Area
Administarive office 60 1 60
Principal’s office 36 1 36
Director’s Cabin 36 1 36
Store 15 1 15
Waiting lobby 25 1 25
Toilets 10 2 20
Total 192
Total With Circulation Space 15% 220.8
Area Statement (Proposed)
Eye Clinic
Space Area (sq. m) No. Total Area

Ophthalmologist Room 30 1 30
Optometrist Room 30 1 30
Refraction Room 25 1 25
Retinoscope & Io 25 1 25
Opthonoscope room
Street Lamp & Auto 25 1 25
Refractor Meter
Lensometer & Opthonoscope 25 1 25
Dio
Toilets 10 2 20
Total 180
Total With Circulation Space 25% 225
Area Statement (Proposed)
Overall Area Statement

Space Area (sq. m)

Site Area 1600

Ground Coverage 40%
Ground Coverage Area 640
Built Up Area 1978.3
FAR (approx.) 1.23
Site

Site- Rajarhat, Kolkata

Features-
Site Area- 1600 sqm.
FAR (approx.)- 1.23
Bibliography
•Case Study of Hazelwood School by Osut
•Handbook for Barrier Free by CPWD
•Access Design for the Blind
•Mexico School for the Blind and Visually Impaired. 2007-03-22.
•http://accessforblind.org
•http://www.idsa.org/sites/default/files/Designing%20Blind.pdf
•https://www.archsd.gov.hk/archsd/html/ua/05-Chapter5.pdf
•BFE class
Thank You!
For Hearing.