Proceedings of: Workshop on Improving Building Design for Persons with Low Vision

Orientation (slide 12)

This was already brought up. Floor-plan organization, if it’s consistent from floor to floor, it’s much easier for people to navigate. If circulation areas do not have curves and non-right angles, it’s much easier for people to navigate, and if waiting areas are kept separate from the circulation areas.

You know, any time you go through [circulation areas], not when you get to the end. But as you go down the line, the waiting areas are separate. We don’t always do that in public spaces, and we don’t always do that even in office buildings. But there are a lot of buildings where [separation is provided by] an area rug or a change of floor color: “that’s the furnished area that’s [the waiting area] right adjacent or to one side.

Comment by [Participant]: New office space also. There’s plans where they want people to eat outside of the work area, so they’ll put them in the corridor space. And it’s undefined, separate [area].

Response by Jeanne Halloin: It can be a real problem.