5.1. Good acoustics.
5.2. Accessible Temporary or Minor Divisions.
5.3. Accessible Doors.
5.4. Ground-level Trip-hazards.
5.5. Differential Surfacing As Wayfinding.
5.6. Upstand Features as Landmarks in Very Large Settings.
5.1. Good acoustics.
Quite often, particularly in a large auditorium or atrium, the space can be very echoey or have disabling amounts of reverberation. Depending on the context, this could be improved by the use of carpeting, including on walls. In new buildings, the dimensions and internal materials of the large rooms, in particular, should be designed to reduce echo.
5.2. Accessible Temporary or Minor Divisions.
Where spaces are divided by ropes etc., for example, to indicate a queuing area, this can be confusing to a visually impaired person. For example, a long-cane user may not be able to detect the delineation until they have walked into it or Where spaces are divided by ropes etc., for example, to indicate a queuing area, this can be confusing to a visually impaired person. For example, a long-cane user may not be able to detect the delineation until they have walked into it or got caught up in it. Barriers of the same height could be erected, with the essential difference being that a long cane can detect from the floor exactly what to expect higher up. However, even then, a visually impaired person can find themselves haplessly entering a cul-de-sac instead of proceeding to their destination point. Underfoot wayfinding could play a part here, too, with close consultation and active involvement of VVI.
5.3. Accessible Doors.
The main doors to a building need to be found easily. This can be done by a lead entrance ramp leading directly to it, or where the entrance is flat, indicated by underfoot all-weather matting.
Doors should be high contrast – either a high contrast pattern, or highly contrasted against the adjacent walls (both inside and outside).
Revolving doors are extremely difficult to access for visually impaired people, and should be absent from any design. Electronic Sliding doors are preferable, since their opening and closing can provide audio cues to a visually impaired person, wheelchair-users can use them independently. In heritage buildings, where sliding doors cannot be used, doors should open inwards due to two mitigating factors: a). a visually impaired person is more likely to have a guide going out than they are coming in; and b). it is possible that an inward draft can indicate that the door is open inwards as the person is exiting.
Doors should not be made mostly of glass in case a person does not detect the obstacle in time and collide with it; or if they are made of glass, this glass should be patterned with inlays of high contrast colouring so that it is not invisiable to visually impaired people with some sight.
5.4. Ground-level Trip-hazards.
An institution should be mindful of the trip hazard posed by rugs and throws, especially where in the public’s desire-line of travel.
Similarly, there should be a flush surface – not lipped – in doorways.
5.5. Differential Surfacing As Wayfinding.
Indoors, an example of differential surfacing as wayfinding would be the use of tiled or wooden surface alongside a contrasting matted or carpeted surface, with smooth paths being used in more confined spaces, such as libraries or galleries, and carpeted or matted paths being used in more expansive spaces, such as in public transport hubs.
The use of such differential surfacing should have specific directional functions, to be worked out in close consultation with and active involvement of VVI, but the following are some pointers:
- In transport hubs, the pathfinding should lead from entrances to help/assistance desks, to processing points (such as ticket barriers)(where relevant), and to departure points. When alighting at such a transport hub, the same pathfinding should be able to guide a passenger from the vehicle to the exit, at least.
- In all settings, this accessible underfoot pathfinding should lead to toilets and to fire exits, as well as to entrances or usual exit points.
- Surface changes (such as the use of linoleum instead of matting) at the points where pathways branch off, would greatly enable a more complex accessible navigation system.
5.6. Upstand Features as Landmarks in Very Large Settings.
To reprise 3.4
Orientation and navigation in wide open spaces, such as a large atrium or airport, can be difficult for visually impaired people.
Bearing in mind the integrity of the ultimate function of the open space, we recommend the use of features such as planters. Such features provide orientation, and may also act as landmarks for navigation, especially when combined with differential surfacing (see 5.5 above).
The layout and design of such features should be created in close consultation with and active involvement of VVI, as Ireland’s DPO responsible for visually-impaired related issues.
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