Record Details

DESIGNING KITCHEN FOR THE VISUALLY CHALLENGED

KrishiKosh

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Field Value
 
Title DESIGNING KITCHEN FOR THE VISUALLY CHALLENGED
 
Creator MARIYA SULTANA
 
Contributor RATNA KUMARI, D
 
Subject DESIGNING, KITCHEN, VISUALLY CHALLENGED
 
Description The kitchen is an environment or place where women whether normal or visually challenged spend considerable amount of time. The kitchen environment includes various internal and physical environment variables like lighting, ventilation, temperature, noise, equipment and so on which have an effect on the safety, speed and comfort of cooking activity.
A visually challenged person has greatly reduced vision. The term visually challenged refers to anyone who is blind or low vision. It is broadly defined as a limitation in one or more functions of the eye. A visually challenged person encounters serious difficulties in conducting an independent life, which are inherent to the nature of their impairment. Many people have some type of visual problem at some point in their lives. A visually challenged person may have lost their vision but most haven't lost their appetites or their desire to remain independent in their own kitchen. They would like to continue preparing meals for themselves, their families and friends. Considering the requirements of visually challenged people in designing interiors will make them have an independent life and also improve the quality of life, as Visual impairment makes living alone difficult. Making some adaptations to the home or getting extra support will help them to live independently.
Hence a study on “Designing Kitchen for the Visually Challenged” was undertaken with the following objectives:
1. To explore the problems faced by visually challenged while performing different activities in kitchen.
2. To identify interior design needs for evolving suitable design solutions.
3. To develop design lay outs of kitchens for the visually challenged by incorporating identified solutions
The study was taken up in twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad in Andhra Pradesh. An ex-post facto research design was planned. An interview schedule and observation sheet was used to collect information on tools and equipment used and problems being faced by visually challenged women while carrying out different activities in the kitchen. Sample was selected using purposive sampling technique and total of 60 respondents were selected for this research, of which 20 were totally blind and 40 were low vision. Findings of the study indicated that from the 20 totally
blind women selected, 5 of them did cooking and other 15 did other activities like washing of vegetables, washing of utensils etc. All the 40 low vision women selected for the study did cooking but had numerous problems and had difficulties in performing different kitchen activities like identifying the spices containers, difficulty in cutting the vegetables, putting / taking out plug from the socket etc. To explore the facilities in the existing kitchen design, and problems faced by respondents while performing kitchen related activities, six houses i.e two of totally blind and six of low vision, were selected for observation of layout of kitchen, presence of hazards, colour contrast between the different features, kitchen lighting, illumination level, switches, window covering, visual appearance of appliances, material and finishes used in the kitchen interiors.
The information collected during the survey analysis revealed that most of the totally blind respondents used the click on burners and 2 burners stove. They had very simple kitchen design. They placed stove at ground level for convenience. Their style of cooking differed very much from normal people. Kitchen design and aesthetics were not seen to be a priority for these totally blind women but they need a simple layout without any barriers. For them keeping all the items at particular place was of utmost importance. It was found that most of the kitchen of low vision women had inadequate lighting, absence of task lighting, presence of glare, uncovered windows, less counter space to work and open shelves. Low vision kitchen interiors did not have contrasting colour between different elements which was being made cooking a difficult task for them to perform and also equipments used for cooking do not have clear controls and contrast. From the detailed observation made for six kitchens of low vision it was found that out of six kitchens one had marble flooring, three had vitrified flooring and one had mosaic flooring, three had wall care putty finished walls, two had simple painted wall and one had tiles around kitchen platform. All respondents had granite counter. Majority of the Low Vision women preferred white coloured ceiling, flooring of vitrified tiles, wall care putty as a wall finish, L-Shaped counter of white colour granite, sliding type doors and windows, open storage and base storage with sliding shutters, they want to have good contrast between all kitchen elements like walls, floor and cabinets for ease of seeing and adequate glare free lighting
From the problems stated by the respondents in their homes, preferences and suggestions and guidelines proposed by different authors like Meera et.al (2001), Kent (2002), Anne and Alan (2005) Geoff et al (2005) and Robert Null (2009) and research centers for blind like The Housing Assistive Technology Research (2003), Royal Victorian Institute for The Blind (2005, 2008 and 2011), Royal National Institute of Blind People guide and Vision Australia-Blindness and low vision service (2007) were used to frame design guidelines to overcome the problems expressed by the respondents. Design solutions suggested were wall care putty/lupum or plain white painted wall with smooth finish, dark blue/black coloured skirting to distinguish one area from other, white vitrified tiles for flooring, white coloured granite counter, sliding doors/shutters for doors and windows, storage provision, freestanding stand and wall mounted stands for keeping plates, bowls etc, minimal use of stainless steel as its glossy and reflective, adequate glare free lighting, fluorescent /recessed and compact fluorescent lamps for general lighting with dimmer switch to control light and task lighting over the work counter to facilitate in better seeing. These design solutions were presented in the form of computer graphical drawings in AutoCAD 2007. Low vision kitchen perspectives plans were evolved by incorporating the design solutions in 3Ds Max
From the present study it can be concluded that accessible kitchen design contributes to interdependent living when it is designed to suit to low vision women needs. The present study found out that the low vision kitchen had improper design, with no or less colour contrast, had inadequate lighting and equipment controls did not have clear numbering and colour contrast. The kitchen design for the Low Vision was developed with due consideration to the user‟s needs to overcome their problems. Suggestions proposed can be of great use for low vision women to cook conveniently and can be help to live an independently life.
 
Date 2016-06-01T10:35:57Z
2016-06-01T10:35:57Z
2011
 
Type Thesis
 
Identifier http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/66513
 
Language en
 
Relation D8916;
 
Format application/pdf
 
Publisher ACHARYA N.G. RANGA AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY