This is my first post so please bear with me. My name is Eric Sahnow and I am a graduate student in the School of Architecture and Urban Planning at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. My thesis project is looking at architecture and the deaf. More specifically, how can architecture impact the education of the deaf and HoH in a positive way. I'm very new to this community as I have just been married into a family with a couple deaf people in it.

I'm wondering, what worked? What didn't? What form should the school take: residential or mainstream that is designed for the deaf. Thank you for your imput.

Eric S,

Welcome to Deaf Notes! I've been up to Madison; that is a beautiful area. I have a graduate degree in Urban Studies from University of Nebraska. The concept of designing for a deaf clientele is a good one.



Architecture can play a positive role in education of D/deaf by realizing that deaf students are visual students. In this sense, it would help if stage areas (for instance) are designed so that all seats have adequate views. This would be true for classroom settings as well.

As well as seating, lighting would be important. The area where the instructors are would need to have more than the usual lighting. In this sense, the background would need to have a contrast with the instructors so that their signing would be highly visible. The instructors would need a very good view of the students. Tiered seating would help in this regard.

Along with seating and lighting, it would help if the instructor could write on a white background with dark-colored markers (instead of the usual chalk and chalkboards).

In terms of a building, I would suggest adequate lighting as well as lighted message boards in hallways as well as classrooms. Also, large meeting rooms so that many tables could be set up allowing for persons to sign to each other as well as focus on a specific area (for example, a stage).

I would also have the building on or near a bus line for those who don't drive.