Architecture takes shape: exploring a building and its urban space with touch
Tactile tables of architecture enable the three-dimensional representation of a building placed in its urban context. A visit to the artistic and cultural heritage of a building or museum can be further enriched by telling the story of the container that houses it. This particular tool makes it possible to broaden the visitor experience and contextualize the monument within the urban fabric. In this way, what it contains, such as the exhibition halls and the valuable collections preserved therein, opens up to the city and the urban space becomes an integral part of the visit.
The desire to offer tools that enable as many people as possible to have a ‘satisfyingfulfilling experience and satisfying experience guided and inspired the shape of these tactile tables, adopting original solutions developed through the fruit of the work and experience gained by our team over many years of working on these issues.
I tactile tables proposed by CITISLAB are presented as an innovative solution in the long-standing search for methods and supports capable of promoting theaccessibility within museums and exhibition areas and offer opportunities for inclusiveness in visitor paths. Our products, in fact, do not specifically target users with special needs but are by their very nature created for any type of visitor using easily understandable forms and language.
Tactile architecture: a bridge between museum and city
I TACTILE TABLES OF ARCHITECTURE consist of the three-dimensional model of the building or part of it flanked by the floor plan or elevations of the building. Through the three-dimensional scale reproduction of the architecture, visitors are offered the opportunity to understand the articulation and volumetric complexity of the structure and its relationship to the urban fabric. Relief floor plans, moreover, make it possible to describe the visitor routes within a building, museum or exhibition center by highlighting, through symbols and paths, the places of interest in order to enable visitors’ orientation.
Tactile tables and production methodologies
The reproduction in bas-relief and that in in the round are the most immediate and widely used methods of tactually translating the shape of an object that cannot be directly experienced. These tools allow, not only people with visual impairments, to define the shape of the buildings themselves and deepen their understanding of the space in which they are located. The correct three-dimensional representation to scale offers, in addition, the opportunity to investigate the existing relationship between the building itself and to the surrounding urban space.
The three-dimensional narrative of the architecture can be accompanied by the relief planimetry of the floors created through relief drawing, which allows making accessible to all the interior space. Through lines, dots and textures perceptible by touch it is possible to represent and, therefore, understand and interpret even complex structures according to the same approach as reading a text with the hands via Braille writing.
The tactile tables that CITISLAB develops possess all the features dictated by the rules of good execution of typhlological tools that make them effective and universally accessible the sign, such as: correct implementation of reliefs and braille writing, preparation of simplified drawings but with non-superficial content, clarity in the contour lines of the figures, and respect for the proportions of the elements. In addition, the tactile tables we propose comply with current laws and regulations regarding usability of places and overcoming and eliminating the architectural barriers.
In designing our tactile tables the challenge we set ourselves was to study an accessible language capable of rendering, as closely as possible, the architectural reality around us as faithfully as possible. Particularly for this type of tactile tables, it is important to respect the proportions between parts and the correctness of scale reduction of models and plans.
Technology and innovation serving the enjoyment of a building
The prototyping of three-dimensional models and the realization of relief plans is always preceded by the preliminary acquisition of technical documentation (drawings, surveys, etc.) essential for digital modeling of the building. During the realization we pay special attention to the design phase both in terms of the realization of digital models and the choice of materials.
The material with which to make the model will be chosen according to the characteristics of the object to be reproduced with the aim of obtaining the most faithful reproduction possible, also in relation to the tactile experience of the original material. Therefore, the most suitable technologies will be used in relation to the type of material (3D printing, CNC milling, laser cutting, etc.).
As for relief floor plans, our panels take advantage of different relief heights to tactilely render the floor plan organization of rooms, the articulation of elevations, or the complexity of a section through simplified relief drawing. Within a tactile floor plan, moreover, can be highlighted the routes, the intended use of the premises and the main architectural elements (stairs, elevators) or services (toilets, bars, etc.) available to visitors.
The placement of architectural tactile tables
Tactile tables due to their descriptive and introductory nature of a building and related urban space are usually placed at the entrance of the exhibition route as an initial presentation of the place. They offer themselves as a valuable knowledge tool, enabling visitors to understand and learn more about the architectural peculiarities of a museum or building. The implementation of a three-dimensional model within exhibition routes can become a useful teaching aid made available to teachers of schools of all levels in the study of art history, architecture and drawing.
The tactile floor plans allow a clear representation of the thematic sections and the layout of museum spaces to plan and organize visits, providing a clear representation of itineraries and allowing customized routes to be planned independently and intuitively. They can help visitors to orient themselves in the space, easily identifying not only the works and rooms of interest, but also the essential services such as bathrooms, bookshops, staircases, and elevators. This feature significantly facilitates the visit, reducing the risk of disorientation and improving the overall experience. In addition, tactile panels help to optimize the flow management of visitors, effectively directing them through predetermined routes and distributing them in a balanced way within the exhibition spaces. In this way, the museum can ensure a more organized and harmonious fruition, avoiding overcrowding and ensuring a’ experience that is accessible and enjoyable for all.