5.2. Discussions

configuration for circulations were considered as areas of confusion rather than orienting. Navigation in this spaces required assistance for the subjects, which means lack of independency.

Tactile contact remains one of the main distinctions between the blind and the partially blind. During the experiment, it was observed that body schemas of these two groups differentiated in terms of body posture during the exploration of space, which was more rigid in the case of subject 04 and 05. Active touch was not quite applicable compared to blind individuals, which was combined with dynamic touch. Regarding passive touch, all of the subjects were active, especially the partially sighted subjects, which obtained additional information visually through the presence of light in space. Furthermore, they were capable to distinguish the differences of light contrasts, since they were highly sensitive to these changes. All of the partially sighted subjects were very sensitive to light and were able to distinguish reflective surfaces.

While comparing the subjects, contradictory preferences were found, such as the preference of the height of space. For subject 05, who is very sensitive to light, the presence of the atrium was satisfying in terms of atmosphere, while for the blind individuals high spaces was considered as disorienting, since it interfered with their echolocation performance. However subject 05, considered that space as appropriate since the light was diffused and not of high intensity. Hence, it is important to understand and translate the results in order to understand which the problematic spatial elements for the visually impaired are, in order to provide knowledge of the architectural attributes that facilitate mobility and provide multi-sensoriality to architectural spaces.

5.2. Discussions

Due to the phenomenological approach of the experiment and the conducted interviews, the knowledge acquired from the case studies is distinctive for each individual, thus, constitutes of potential information for obtaining results in the use of architectural practice. Such information can be obtained by reconsidering phenomenological aspects of the main elements of the architectural spaces from the viewpoint of the visually impaired. As a result, considering the required qualities of spatial elements for providing comfort in space, it is necessary to evaluate the meaning of each of the main spatial elements in architectural buildings. The experience and relation to spatial elements in blind persons is of a different nature from a sighted one, due to dependency from the amount of the visual information obtained by the environment. This approach can firstly provide the knowledge for reconsidering these spatial elements when designing spaces, and secondly, provide 246