Lesley Mcintyre

Way-finding in buildings by people with a visual impairment: understanding issues that affect how people with a range of visual impairments find their way in buildings; and guidance on how these might be addressed through a series of design considerations.

Two years into this three year research, this PhD seminar will present project findings along with the researchers future aims and aspirations. It will discuss the research methodology and methods of data collection alongside the initial findings from the pilot study. It will begin to present and highlight some of the characteristics of way-finding systems in buildings found to be problematic to visitors who have lost or who are losing their eyesight. Finally, it will create an outline to discuss current work in progress - the development and creation of guidelines to mitigate these way-finding problems.

Lesley McIntyre is an architectural PhD researcher at the University of Dundee. Having registered as a Post-graduate student within the School of Architecture in December 2007, her research passion in this field of architecture and sensorial impairment has been inspired from her time working in professional practice in Northern Ireland, New York and Scotland.

This PhD research has been financially supported by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC).