References

Introduction

Ground Floor Plan First Floor Plan

The building includes two swimming pools, a public washhouse, a family bathroom, and segregation of male and female facilities on the ground floor, and the main gymnasium, several group fitness room on the first floor, on the underground floor lies two squash courts and a small free weight room. (Victorian Heritage Database Report 2020) The spatial organization and structure basically follows its original planning as one hundred years ago. Its well-organized space allows it to transform and refurnish part of the space into a dedicated area for low vision / blind people.

Introduction

Context

“The uniqueness of the building and the significance it holds for so many Victorians have also prompted theatre groups, television programs, and fashion magazines to use the baths as the setting for their productions, films, and photographic shoots.”

“ First opened in 1860, the Melbourne City Baths provides health and fitness services to the community. It has the largest swimming pool in the CBD, as well as a gym and a fitness studio. “

(Source: Melbourne City Baths Website)

In this sense, the high recognition and high-profile of Melbourne City Baths can show the society and its peer competition a good sample. Apart from that, since it belongs to city of Melbourne, the local government authority, which allows it to has more collaborative opportunities with other charity organizations.

Introduction

Context

According to the announcement from CoM website, they planned to upgrade and refurbish steps by steps this year in order to provide a better environment. (“City Baths refurbishment,” 2020) As a result, these own needs make this strategic brief feasible. In an attempt to upgrade their facility and interior exvironemnt, this strategic brief can be a guideline during the coming refurnishment at each stage.

Introduction

Subject Group

(Blind Sports and Recreation Victoria - Blind Tennis Program, 2017)

“ Blind Sports and Recreation Victoria (BSRV) enhances the lives of people throughout Victoria who are blind or vision impaired through sport and recreation. Since our establishment in 1977 we have evolved into a small but thriving charity, which is setting the benchmark for blind sport and recreation in Australia. Supporting more than 1,200 members, we encourage people with no or low vision of all ages and backgrounds to lead more healthy and active lifestyles. “(Victoria, 2018)

Introduction

Subject Group

(User Group) Low vision/ Blind people (Client) Melbourne City Baths

Agree to convert part of the areas into a special training area (eg. swimming pool, free weight)

Train under instruction

Project

Provide workers who assist, manage this area and instruct the trainers

(Community) BSRV

The client of this project is Melbourne City Baths (CoM) and Blind Sports&Recreation Victoria, this project can be conceived as a collaboration between them, in addition, this collaborative model could remain achievable between other fitness centers with other local vision-impaired people related organizations in the near future.

Methodology

Overview

The methodology of this strategic brief will include deskbased research, online survey, spatial analysis, and the collection of quantitative and quantitive data.

Desk-based Research

Making research from published academic resources, academic website.

Online Survey

Collecting and understanding the responses from various local blind citizens care organizations, such as Blind Sports Victoria (BSV), Royal Society for the Blind (RSB), Blind Citizens Australia (BCA) and etc.

Spatial Analysis

Collecting existing sports programs for blind people and analyze the basic spatial requirement or special traits that need to be considered in the design phase.

Case studies

Exemplars in Blind Sports Victoria, studying what are area requirements for fitness activities and special facilities.

Desk-based Research

Online Survey

Spatial Analysis

Case Studies

Timeframe

2 WEEKS

2 WEEKS

1 WEEK

1 WEEK Week 1-2

8.1 - 8.14

Week 3-4

8.15 - 8.29

Week 5

8.30 - 9.13

Week 6

9.14 - 9.21

Methodology

Data collection

Approach

Online Survey

Interviews

Observations

Case Studies

Detail

• Open questions

Eg.Do you like doing sports? Do you like doing sports?

• Closed questions

Eg. What is your training frequency, where do you mostly work out? What aspect do you consider most if you can train in a gym?

• Interview with Melbourne City Baths via Zoom

Collecting quantitive data on business vision, future strategy, etc.

• Interview with RSBV working staff via Zoom

Collecting quantitive data on spatial needs, special facilities requirements, volumes of addtional spaces, etc.

Observations in current cases may not be viable due to the Covid-19, but can based on the past personal experience and others stories.

Interpreting and analysing the pevious practices and precedents from national and international examples, take advantages of these successful cases

• Photos • Diagrams • Charts Tool

Survey Monkey Google Form

Zoom

Photos Videos Sketches

Google Deezeen Archdaily Designboom

Findings

Case studies

MOTIVE 8

Motive8 is a specialist personal training company based in the UK and grew to a global organization and established market leaders in the design & installation of residential and corporate health and fitness facilities. In 2016, they were inspired from the Paralympic team and decided to start a project, that is a gym modification for users with disabilities, especially the vision impaired users. (Shaddock, 2016)

(Motive8 gym modification, 2016) (Motive8 gym modification, 2016)

There are many steps designers and manufacturers can take to ensure a gym and its equipment can be used by people with visual impairments such as color blindness, tunnel vision, low vision, or complete blindness. Among many methods, the easiest one is to use vivid color as a visual indicator, such as bright yellow. Using bright yellow colored strips at the edges of handles and pedals is a great way of providing visual assistance to color blind or partially-sighted users who have difficulty telling darker colors apart. In addition, ensuring a gym is well lit is also very important because it help users identify shapes and colours that much easier. (Shaddock, 2016)

Findings

Case studies

CAMPUS WU WIEN

Campus WU Wien is a university campus design project in Vienna, Austria, done by BUSarchitektur. For the blind and visually impaired, a complete system with tactile braille and pyramid text and guidelines was created. The information terminal is also barrier-free: it can be accessed via a wheelchair, audio mode is adopted, and the contrast mode improves clarity by reducing colors to black and yellow.

(Campus WU Wien,2013 ) (Campus WU Wien,2013 )

Findings

Equipment

One of the reason why vision impaired users find it very hard to participate in exercise is that the fitness equipment bring them barriers. A research report has investigated the accessibility and ease of use of the controls on fitness equipment such as treadmills, exercise bikes, cross trainers and rowing machines. This study was carried out by consumer research charity Rica with the support of Thomas Pocklington Trust and Metro Blind Sport, the study involved user experience testing of equipment by 20 blind and partially sighted people, followed by focus groups and individual interviews.(RNIB, 9 February 2018)

Overall, the participants made some recommendations which could improve the experience of people with sight loss going to the gym, including:

(RNIB Report, 2015) (RNIB Report, 2015)

• Much wider use of audio output and voice-over technology in fitness equipment • The use of wireless technology • The ability to increase font size on the screens • Tactile buttons and high-contrast colours on LED consoles • Lever controls and/or control buttons on handlebars • Improved layout, colour use, signage and lighting in leisure centres • Trained staff to assist visually impaired people in using equipment.

Findings

Assisting Approach

Spatial design

This part collects some spatial designs that can help the users be able to move safely under the assisting navigation methods such as braille tact tiles, acoustic ways and indicating smell, etc.

The blind and visually handicapped have the right to be able to navigate effortlessly through the built environment. Navigation through and the action of experiencing a place depends on a person’s ability to collect information through his or her senses. However, Architects most often focus only on the visual aspects of a design rather than considering other sensory aspects. Understanding of these interactions is used to develop an architecture that enhances the specific characteristics, which help the blind and visually handicapped.(Siddique, 2015)

(Design Considerations | ©Md. Sharfuddin Siddique)

Appplication

(BlindAlive.com)

Mel Scott, the founder of BlindAlive, who is blind, brought together a team of fitness instructors, musicians, and audio editors in order to provide a variety of exercise programs for people who need or prefer non-visual cues while exercising. This is complete set of the Eyes-Free Fitness® audio exercise programs allow the users to exercise, stretch, strengthen, condition their bodies.(Kendrick, June 2017)

“People with sight will use the Eyes-Free Fitness workouts, too, all workouts have been developed with keen focus on being entirely accessible and user friendly for people with visual impairments. Workouts convey, in clear, direct language, the posture and movements required for maximum effect. While the workouts are completely audio and verbal, they are delivered with loads of energy and positive reinforcement, conveyed both by the voices of the workout directors and the underlying music.” said Mel Scott. This programs can be very helpful services for the visual users who are beginners into fitness, and under the instructor of BSRV staff they would quickly get used to train in the new environment.

Findings

Interview

(Accessible Fitness For Visually Impaired Clients, 2017)

Due to the current lockdown condition, a face to face interview with related working staff in City Baths or BSRV is not viable. However, an interview was done by Fitpro (one of the largest global fitness company) focusing on how to improve accessible fitness for visually impaired clients, this report partially quoted and collected of this interview as an alternative because its topic is relevant and the key information core idea is valuable and response to the main subject of this report.

This interview is between Olivia Hubbard (From Fitpro) and Michelle Felix, who mainly introduces the stories of her career and experience as a registered blind and fitness professional. (HUBBARD, 2017)

Findings

Interview

Interviwer: FP (Fitpro, the largest professional fitness development companyin the world) Interviewee: MF (Michelle Felix is a fitness professional who is registered blind and provides audio-described exercise for clients who are blind or have poor eyesight)

FP: “Can you tell us more about your personal story and when you first began devising fitness classes for visually impaired individuals?”

MF: “I am registered blind and have some residual vision. The diagnosis is macular degeneration, which is loss of central vision but that allows us to see details. My company is Michelle Felix Group and I specialise in optimising fitness and well-being for clients with disabilities. My key focus is providing audio-described exercise for clients who are blind or have low vision and it’s been a real joy providing this service since 2015.”

FP: “What training have you undergone to work in the fitness industry?”

MF: “Through InstructAbility I gained my Level 2 Gym Instructor qualification and Level 3 Exercise and Disability qualifications. Following my completion of the InstructAbility programme, I continued my professional development within the fitness industry to include my Exercise to Music qualification, and dance fitness training. I am also trained to deliver core stability, suspension fitness and indoor cycling.”

FP: “What did you find particularly beneficial about the InstructAbility course?”

MF: “It was lovely to be in the InstructAbility learning environment where disability is not an issue. Adjustments were happily made for each of our individual needs as students, inside the classroom, in the gym environment and also in terms of accessible home study course material. Our InstructAbility tutors fostered a comfortable learning environment in which we were relaxed and felt free to ask questions and they always treated us with respect.” FP: “ What are clients most surprised by? What has their feedback been? Has there been a bigger uptake for one class in particular?”

MF: “Clients have been most surprised by discovering their ability to enjoy and successfully take part in group exercise, which I have made possible by using audio description. My clients have been amazed at their personal fitness progress and improved sense of well-being.”

FP: “How did people react to Michelle’s classes?”

James Cook from Chingford: “I had taken part in group exercise in the past but not successfully and I did not enjoy them. Before Michelle’s chair-based exercise classes I was stiff but I found Michelle’s classes quite useful and I would recommend her classes to friends.’’

Conclusions / Recommendations

Our cities are diverse places, home to a rich spectrum of people and lifestyles. (Downey) Like what Chris Downy said, there are only two types of people, those with disabilities and those that haven’t quite found theirs yet. Visual impaired group is the minority in our home society and they are more dependent on sensory. Architects are gradually adapting to the need for more multisensory design. “Space has always been the spiritual dimension of architecture. It is not the physical statement of the structure so much as what it contains that moves us “ (Arthur Erickson)

In conclusion, this strategic brief sets up a basic frame for how to improve the current fitness space and make them more friendly and viable for blind group, the findings included in this report are based on desk-based research, and it gives the useful suggestions for a establishing a better exercise environment from the both asepects of hardware and software, such as spatial designs and audio programs.

In addition, based on this findings this brief also gives a series recommendations of how to improve the experience of people with sight loss going to the gym, they are:

• Much wider use of audio output and voice-over technology in fitness equipment • The use of wireless technology • The ability to increase font size on the screens • Tactile buttons and high-contrast colours on LED consoles • Lever controls and/or control buttons on handlebars • Improved layout, colour use, signage and lighting in leisure centres • Trained staff to assist visually impaired people in using equipment.

References

Blindness and vision loss. (2014). Retrieved from https://www.visionaustralia.org/information/newly-diagnosed/blindness-and-vision-loss

City Baths refurbishment. (2020). Retrieved from https://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/community/sports-recreation/melbourne-city-baths/about-mcb/Pages/city-baths-refurbishment.aspx

Downey, C. (Producer). Design with the blind in MIND. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/chris_downey_design_with_the_blind_in_mind?utm_campaign=newsletter_weekly&utm_content=talk_of_the_week_button&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter_weekly_2013-11-16

Edwards, J. S. a. R. (2015). My Voice 2015: The views and experiences of blind and partially sighted people in the UK. Retrieved from https://www.rnib.org.uk/knowledge-and-research-hub-research-reports-general-research/my-voice

Gordon Duff, K. B., Brandon Ah Tong, Jennifer Grimwade. (August 2015). A SNAPSHOT OF BLINDNESS AND LOW VISION SERVICES IN AUSTRALIA. Retrieved from https://www.vision2020australia.org.au/resources/a-snapshot-of-blindness-and-low-vision-services-in-australia/

Gyms and Fitness Centres in Australia – Market Research Report. (2019). Retrieved from https://www.physicalactivityaustralia.org.au/gyms-and-fitness-centres-in-australia-market-research-report/#:~:text=Fitness%20and%20Lifestyle%20Group%20TopCo,with%2014.8%25%20of%20industry%20revenue.

HUBBARD, O. (2017). Accessible fitness for vision impaired clients. Retrieved from https://www.fitpro.com/blog/index.php/fitness-visually-impaired-clients/

Kendrick, D. (June 2017). Introducing Blind Alive and Eyes-Free Fitness: Fitness Is More Than Meets the Eye. Retrieved from https://www.afb.org/aw/18/6/15205

Latif, A. (Feb 2018). Why do gyms make things so difficult for blind people? Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/feb/26/why-do-gyms-make-things-so-difficult-for-blind-

people

RNIB. ( 9 February 2018). Fitness equipment isn’t fit for us, say visually impaired gym users. Retrieved from https://www.rnib.org.uk/rnibconnect/fitness-equipment-is-not-fit-for-visually-impaired

Shaddock, J. (2016). GYM MODIFICATIONS FOR USERS WITH DISABILITIES. Retrieved from https://m8group.co.uk/blog/gym-modifications-for-users-with-disabilities/#:~:text=Visual%20impairment%20in%20gym%20design&text=%E2%80%9CUsing%20bright%20yellow%20coloured%20strips,difficulty%20telling%20darker%20colours%20apart.%E2%80%9D

Siddique, S. (2015). Centre for Blind Children | NSU. Retrieved from https://contextbd.com/centre-for-blind-children-nsu/

Victoria, B. S. R. (2018). Who We Are. Retrieved from https://www.blindsports.org.au/who-we-are

Victorian Heritage Database Report (2020). Retrieved from https://planning-schemes.delwp.vic.gov.au/