Gap-Trailing: Scaffolding and Exploring Situated Knowledge

Area of Science:

• Environmental Psychology
• Architectural Anthropology
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Disability Studies

Background:

• User knowledge and lived experiences are crucial for understanding the interplay between individuals and their environment, particularly concerning disability.
• Existing best practices in Universal Design (UD) need complementary methodological approaches for research and design at the intersection of people and environments.
• Architectural anthropology offers valuable tools and mindsets for studying complex processes like aging and impairment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically reflect on the contribution of fieldwork methods in exploring vision loss and its dynamic relationship with the home environment.
• To investigate the lived experiences of individuals with incipient vision loss and their interaction with their domestic settings.
• To discuss the role of architectural anthropology in scaffolding socio-material explorations and critical reflections in vision and environment research.

Main Methods:

• Conducted walk-along interviews within the homes of 37 participants aged 55+ (10 normally sighted, 27 visually impaired) during winter 2023-24.
• Utilized transcriptions of interviews, field notes, and reflective notes from researcher discussions for analysis.
• Applied principles of architectural anthropology to analyze the socio-material dynamics between participants and their home environments.

Main Results:

• Fieldwork, particularly walk-along interviews, provided rich, contextual data on how individuals with vision changes perceive and interact with their home lighting and environment.
• The study highlighted the dynamic and reciprocal relationship between an individual's changing abilities (specifically vision) and their home environment.
• Architectural anthropology facilitated a deeper understanding of the nuanced challenges and adaptations related to vision loss within domestic spaces.

Conclusions:

• The integration of architectural anthropology and fieldwork offers a robust methodological framework for studying the lived experiences of individuals with disabilities in their environments.
• Understanding the interplay between vision changes and home environments is essential for developing supportive and accessible living spaces.
• This research underscores the need for continued exploration into socio-material aspects of environmental design, informed by user-centered perspectives.