🥇Uniservitate Award 2022 winning experience

SUMMARY

TANAW “design without barriers”: Renovation of an E-Learning Resource Centre for the Philippine National School for the Blind (PNSB) in Pasay City.

The TANAW Project is implemented as part of the service-learning compulsory course, to be presented and evaluated as a final degree work in the Interior Design Exhibition (INDEXHI) class. This event is an annual exhibition that showcases an interior design project integrating all the curricular contents of the degree course in partnership with a chosen beneficiary, ranging from a government organisation to public and private entities. 

“Design without barriers” is defined as an inclusive approach to constructing spaces geared towards the specific needs of PWDs (persons with a disability).

As their final project, the Interior Design students renovated the E-Learning Resource Centre of the Philippine National School for the Blind (PNSB) located in a rural area of Pasay City. This school is a special place that caters to visually impaired children and youth who live on its premises while attending classes during the school day. It is the country’s pioneering exponent and aims to cater to the educational needs of the blind and visually impaired as an integral part of general education, creating opportunities to develop active and participatory citizens with entrepreneurial skills. 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the undergraduates were responsible for monitoring the implementation of the design solutions and renovations according to the specific needs identified together with the school representatives. They also managed the partners’ contributions and companies’ donations so that the place would be ready to receive the students when they came back to school. 

For this purpose, the 24 undergraduates, organised in committees with specific roles and tasks, applied their knowledge and professional skills in logistics, creativity, marketing, finance, HR management and online supervision of the E-Learning Centre installation. Two professors also accompanied and guided them during the conceptualisation, planning and execution of the design solution.

For the online presentation of the final design, elaboration of sketches, instructional videos and teaser, and others, they had the collaboration of 14 undergraduates from the Multimedia Arts degree. Remodelling the space was possible thanks to the funds raised by the authorities and teachers of the school for the blind and the student promoters through different activities.

As a result of the project, the school has a space of 63 m² with didactic resources and furniture intended for the vocational training of blind and visually impaired students. It also integrates the concept of multi-sensory and experiential inclusive design in an accessible learning environment that facilitates the use of educational technology and quality resources for the visually impaired. 

Concerning the comprehensive training of professionals engaged with their community social needs, the university students understood the scope of interior design to empower people, whatever their particular disabilities, while helping them overcome their daily challenges in sustainable and habitable spaces. Thus, they realised that interior design is for everybody regardless of a person’s disability or social status.

Video presentation:

DATA SHEET

  • Name: TANAW: Breaking barriers for blind and visually impaired students through multi-sensory and experiential design.

  • Region: Asia & Oceania

  • Country: Philippines

  • University: De La Salle College of Saint Benilde, Manila

  • Area or School involved: Centre for Teacher Updating in Service-Learning, Bachelor of Arts in Arts Management, Bachelor of Science in Interior Design, Bachelor of Arts in Multimedia Arts

  • Theme: Designing inclusive spaces for people with disabilities. Technological development.

  • Place of implementation: Philippine National School for the Blind in Pasay City.

  • Responsible for the experience: Sim María Celiza, Pabona Randy and Saringan Rodolfo.

PLACE OF IMPLEMENTATION