Post-pandemic, we were finally able to run the next iteration of Architecture Beyond Sight with 10 blind and partially sighted people (most of whom signed up before the pandemic and still wanted to take part). As before Duncan Meerding, a blind furniture designer, joined us from Tasmania as guest tutor in the fabrication workshop. Zoe Partington and Mandy Redvers-Rowe were the blind creatives leading the studio design project.

As before, participants selected from a making and a design brief – the first called A Box of Feelings, and the second The Minimum Conditions for Creativity. These activities were supported by Institute of Making UCL, the British Library and the B-Made workshop at the Bartlett School of Architecture UCL. The Bartlett also generously funded the project and provided accessible spaces.

Next steps are to explore how to run the course in the future and to find regular funding and/or sponsorship.

Below you can read one participant’s experience. We asked David Johnson - who is currently doing a PhD in blind aesthetics - to give us his personal reflections on taking part.

In the Wake of DisOrdinary Architecture 2022

Thinking Outside of the Box

The Bartlett 2022 Podcast (Jos Boys and Poppy Levison) – How can architectural education and practice by more inclusive of – and benefit from – blind and partially sighted architects?