Visual impairment experience: empathy and spatial Inclusive Design system for urban rail transportation
Although scholars have proposed inclusive spatial design for visually impaired groups, research in rail transit spaces has remained limited. In response, this paper takes Singapore’s Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL) rail transit space as a case study. It conducted a perceptual experience survey with pa...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Taylor & Francis Group
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Journal of Asian Architecture and Building Engineering |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13467581.2025.2526193 |
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| Summary: | Although scholars have proposed inclusive spatial design for visually impaired groups, research in rail transit spaces has remained limited. In response, this paper takes Singapore’s Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL) rail transit space as a case study. It conducted a perceptual experience survey with participants wearing glasses to simulate visual impairment. The study proposed a new capability-demand model and design system. Prior to this, a within group experiment was conducted to verify the impact of role-playing & prototype experience on designers’ empathy levels and design decision-making. After obtaining positive results, the TEL case study was carried out. The findings revealed that: 1) This line is inclusive to passengers with mild visual impairments with positive emotional connotations being dominant; 2) The inclusivity of rail transit spaces is related to sensation, cognition, motion, and service layers; 3) There are significant differences in the number of coding in the thematic layer, the fewer number of coding in the service dimension reflects insufficient attention. Both empirical and inductive studies jointly demonstrate that empathy, as a mediating variable, plays a crucial role in producing Inclusive Design outcomes. This empirically-based design system enhances the inclusivity and systematicity, helping to reduce exclusion and improve accessibility and practicality. |
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| ISSN: | 1347-2852 |