Home for the Blind: “Through the Tube”

YEAR

2021

CATEGORY

Home

STATUS

Honourable mention in Bee breeders competition

SIZE

112 sqm

TEAM MEMBERS

Ida Jonassen, Laura Kupka

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Often architecture relies on the sense of sight to display itself. As a result, we depend on vision to understand and identify spaces. But wouldn’t using all of our senses create a more complete and inclusive experience?

Our mission during this project is to take on a multi-dimensional perspective that lets us discover a space through multi-sensory experiences.

Located in Matera, Italy, the project invites the city in, utilizing an organic flow, rough materials, and multi-level dimensions. Colours hand-picked from the city marks objects through a high level of contrast. Complimentary to the town itself, the plan has a “main road” on the east side of the user, a path for the inhabitant to access all house areas easily. Beyond the main trail, soft flooring circles around the bedroom, living, and working spaces to indicate seating spaces.

In addition to horizontal orientation, upcycled cardboard tubes are utilized to create zoning. The tubes vary in size according to the amount of acoustic privacy the inhabitant needs in each zone. Namely, wider tubes are placed around the bedroom, while significantly smaller ones are used in the kitchen and living. Additionally, larger tubes are placed among the window, looking towards the east to create a shadow play.

The sense of smell is considered through a system of five solar tubes placed on a sloped roof. Sun shines through the tubes, reflecting light and heat. The collected heat later liquifies a fragrance based on the time of day. Therefore, a scent will disperse around the house according to the movement of the sun and time. The person inside will gain the ability to recognize the time of day, not only from the sun position but also from the seamless diffusion of scent.

Altogether, the project performs as a breathing machine that acts by itself to help you understand your surroundings and their functions. The final result creates a connection to the outside world through the senses of touch, sound, and smell, leaving sight inconsequential.