Project Title: Center for visually impaired people
Year: 2018
Independent work
This thesis project has as its object the design of a center for visually impaired people in the center of Volos. The results of the conducted survey formed the main building program. The concept of integration into the society where the education system is based has shaped the structure of the building. Initially, the local blind society of Volos and then the Center for the Education and Rehabilitation of Blinds in Athens was visited for research purposes. The administration was interviewed and the members, mainly children, completed questionnaires during the visits. Their opinions and answers shaped the building program and building structure.
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A corridor made by ramps and stairs surrounds the main areas of the building where the activities take place. The purpose of creating this corridor is to design the building as a single unit rather than a set of smaller units. Since the activities for the members interconnect at a conceptual level, it is important to have direct access between the spaces where these activities take place. The corridor provides visual contact within the building areas while it allows the user to explore the building. In this way, the building structure promotes a creative and learning environment. This design is framed by the concept of integration where the education system is based. The open spaces of the building along with the corridor transform the building to a communal center and it respond to the needs of people with visual disabilities without being isolated them from the urban environment and furthermore by the society. The main objective of the proposal is to provide a site for the visually impaired people and at the same time to create spaces for everyone and connected with the city's activities.
