A Model of Accessible Design
Adding Vision to Universal Design
Lighthouse International headquarters was built to serve a diverse population who represent every step along the continuum of vision impairment, from partial sight to blindness, as well as people with other physical impairments, people who use wheelchairs, and people with full sight. Comfort and ease of use for Lighthouse employees was also a key consideration in designing the new structure.
The building's design features include:
Easy-to-Navigate Lobby
Lots of Light
Colors That Contrast
Finding the Way
Credits:
Architect: Mitchell/Giurgola, New York City
Lighting: H.M. Brandston & Partners, New York City
Building Graphics: Roger Whitehouse, Whitehouse & Company, New York City
Drawings by Mitchell/Giurgola Architects
Easy-to-Navigate
Lobby
The functional entryway is divided by a railing, separating people who enter and leave the
building (A). At the main reception desk tactile and large-print maps of the public floors
help consumers plan their routes (B) within the building. The recessed waiting area in the
lobby has space below the bench seating for guide dogs (C). All these features are
designed to increase the smooth flow of foot traffic in the lobby.
Lots of Light
Bright natural light from oversized windows and custom-designed, non-glare artificial
light fixtures throughout the building produce a soft light that avoids dramatic changes
in level or intensity.
Colors That Contrast
Since loss of the ability to perceive color contrast is one of the most common effects of
vision impairment, strong contrasting colors -- warm white walls with magenta door trim --
are used throughout the building. Floor tiles, in shades of dark purple and mauve, point
out elevators and safe travel paths (A), and color and texture contrast between walls and
floor (B), on stair treads and along the edges of desks (C) also help maximize
ease-of-use.
Finding the Way
An integrated wayfinding system includes large-print white on black signage; tactile signs
identifying locations in raised letters and braille, positioned at an angle to optimize
readability; and "talking signs" that identify conference rooms, restrooms and
stairways out loud to consumers carrying special hand-held receivers. The elevators
feature a special enunciation system that identifies each floor and directs people toward
the reception desks where floor-specific tactile maps are located.