Filmmaking as a Tool for Investigating the Positive Spatial Experiences of Disabled People

Current studies at the intersection between architecture and disability focus on addressing the immediate needs of disabled individuals and often overlook the potential of built environments to create positive experiences. Additionally, conventional approaches for investigating disabled people's spatial experiences often fail to capture the inherent nuanced sensory and emotional aspects. This paper describes the process of filmmaking and the use of film to explore its contributions and limitations in the understanding on how personal and contextual factors influence individuals' positive spatial experiences. The film Places and Small Pleasures, produced by the Cluster for Spatial Inclusion at the Royal Danish Academy in collaboration with Nossell & Co, serves as a case study for a reflective inquiry. The filmmaking process involved participant interviews, transcript analysis, storyboarding, shooting, editing, and final screening. The analysis of the interviews with four selected participants revealed key spatial attributes and contextual phenomena contributing to their described positive experiences. Four distinct narratives emerged, highlighting the participants' diverse bodily conditions, emotions and feelings in their favorite places. Representations of their experiences through the film incorporated verbal and non-verbal cues, their bodily reactions, and contextual phenomena, offering an immersive sensory richness for the viewers. By capturing the embodied experiences of the four participants within their personal and spatial contexts, the filmmaking process enhanced understanding and empathy, enriching disability studies and fostering academic discourse in this domain through positive stories.