Physical disability affects mobility or dexterity for people with ambulatory difficulties, or with cerebral palsy, spina bifida, or amputations. Australia has a proud recent history of changing its building regulations to acknowledge these disabilities, even if many think of it only in terms of design for wheelchairs.

Our codes that require ramps (in new or existing buildings) with gentle gradients, handrails correctly positioned and appropriate signage not only work for wheelchairs but also for those with ambulant difficulties, walking frames or sticks, difficulty mounting stairs or a pram or shopping trolley. And lifts in many configurations, such as stair climbers and platform lifts. Wins all round.

But we pay less attention to other disabilities, particularly sensory issues like sight, blindness, hearing impairments, or deafness. Yes, we put tactiles on public pathways for the visually impaired and Braille on signage in new public buildings. And hearing loops in auditoria. That’s a positive start, but we could do better. Often the general signage is terrible and the everyday acoustics worse.

But here’s an idea in extremis: How do you make architecture apparent for the totally blind? Their lack of any sight doesn’t make them any less environmentally aware and deserving of design respect, as anyone who has seen the extraordinary Nas Campanella from the ABC knows.

Here’s a recent innovation in Europe. Interpretative signage exploded into 3D models to give information and experience to blind visitors to public buildings.

A tactile model of the building shows the blind what others see and what they will experience. With a description in Braille, as well as in typeface, a blind person's hands can examine the physical evidence to understand the architecture. This is also a valuable tool for those who are sighted.

Three examples.

Outside a museum in Nottingham, England. An explanation of a local common terrace house, a familiar sight to Australians, is presented. Modest, clever and thoughtful. This also describes the museum by Caruso St John, my favourite public works architects.

The Louis Vuitton Art Gallery in Paris. On the walk through the gardens from the nearest Metro, you come upon this extraordinary building (in the title image). This model sits in the foyer. A million hands will touch it eventually. But for the sighted too, it is an insight into the modelling mind of Frank Gehry.

The Paris Philharmonic. This model and the interpretive information on a wall leading up to the building show the ideas employed by Jean Nouvel. The rooftop terrace offers an immersive experience with Bernard Tschumi’s red box-like eruptions below. All in the fractured ceramic below.

Three examples I found as exciting innovations. I hope major art galleries in Sydney, Canberra, and Melbourne will commission an artist to create porcelain or brass models for public display for Nas and architecture enthusiasts.

Cross-Sections are Friday musings from Tone Wheeler, formerly of Tone on Tuesday. Amateurs draw plans; professionals draw sections – never at cross-purposes.

Tone Wheeler

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