Disability

Love this!

Relationship with the World Around Us and the Sense of Self

“Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom” -Aristotle

In order for us to understand anything, we have to understand ourselves; to get a perception of our sense of self. The way we come to know ourselves is through the people around us and the environment we are surrounded by.

An exchange between oneself and the environment, oneself and another and oneself with his/her spirit is necessary for one to get an understanding of who they are.

Balance is key.

Through nature, we understand our existence. We need food to survive along with a healthy place to inhabit. There is a relationship between humans and the rest of nature. It should be a relationship were equally is taken and equally is given.

Through others, we also understand our existence. We need one another in order to live. A negative encounter with someone can change everything about us. As humans, we feed off of other people. For example, someone can give you a hug and change your mood in an instant.  Humans give and take from each other.

Through the spirits, we also understand our existence. We need to be at peace with our spirits. We connect with our spirit through faith or meditation. In most occasions, this requires alone time. The spirit must be given time in order to offer peace.

Balance is key.

How do we perform these exchanges? Through our senses, of course. All knowledge is achieved through the senses.  Our sensory experiences lie deep within each one of us. Through sensory experiences, humans are able to imagine sights, sounds and feelings. With the perception of others and the environment, our inner experiences are deepened and people tend to develop a sense of appreciation, which adds value to life.

Sense of Self...

Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom. -Aristotle

What does it mean to know yourself?
Is that how to find peace?



A sense of self.

Poetry

Nightmares.

Walking in shadows.

What are you most afraid of?

Is it all wrong?

There is light all around you.

While sitting in the dark. 

It's not a dead end street. 

Let go.

Open your eyes.

What is there to Gain with a loss?

Importance of Children

Children are always on my mind. I can't stop thinking about them. Whether it is my 2 year old cousin, the children in my community or the kids around the world; they hold a special place in my heart. There is happiness that I receive from their presence. The world seems perfect when I spend time with them. Nothing else matters. My heart yearns to be with kids. It yearns to help them, to teach them and to make them smile. When I give my time to children, I gain so much more. You receive so much when you give. They usually don’t expect much from people. They accept people just as they are. They long for our presence. When we spend time with kids, we show them that communication is important. We show them that interaction is important. Most significantly, we show them that love is important. There are so many children who are neglected and mistreated; many children who are suffering, with no one to care for them. Who do they run to? Who is responsible for them? Are there people who know how to help? Sometimes assistance can hinder people even more. It is important to become aware of the needs of children because they are the future. I think that the disabled and displaced children need a little bit more attention and care. They should be given equal opportunities to grow and learn. How can design aid in offering better opportunities for disabled and displaced children? To me, the two most significant places for children are their homes and their schools- the places where they grow and learn. If physical limitations are eliminated for the disabled or displaced children, they will be given the freedom to grow and learn. If more people are given the opportunities to experience life to the fullest and given the opportunities to be educated, a brighter future will be closer. That is the goal. 

Education & Statistics

I started to do some research on the types of learning and the statistics of the blind and visually impaired:

Three types of main learning: auditory, visual and kinesthetic. The majority of learners are kinesthetic. 

Environments that heighten one's senses have shown to make a positive impact on those that are depressed, stressed or disabled. 

Many individuals who have visual impairments are learning in the same environments as sighted individuals. How does that impact their education?

How can the visually impaired be educated at a young age so that they are not as dependent on others throughout the rest of their lives?

Case Studies

I did three case studies for my thesis. I compared three different buildings- one that is designed for the average user, one that is designed for the disabled and one that is designed specifically for the blind & visually impaired.

This one is designed for the average user:

 This one is designed for the disabled:

 This one is designed for the blind and visually impaired: