Zenesthesia:
Home for the Visually Impaired
Madison Allen
University of Central Oklahoma, School of Design
Year 3 Interior Design Student Project: Home for the Visually Impaired
Fall 2022
Design Concept
Kinesthesia refers to the awareness of one’s body in space, sensed through movement rather than through vision. When living with vision loss, awareness of one’s physical surroundings and oneself within them become imperative for safety and independence.
Zenesthesia is a modern home designed to create balance in the lives of this tech-savvy couple. The home is accessible throughout all spaces to ensure that no area is dangerous or off-limits. The color scheme of white, gray, black, and brown was selected to create a consistent contrast between dark values, midtones, and light values. Rectilinear forms create a sense of order, but are balanced with softer, more organic lines on furniture selections and textured upholstery. With ample room and seating for entertaining guests, the home also has multiple guest rooms to permit friends and family to stay at this modern retreat. Circulation is flexible, spaces are open, and pathways are wide to permit intuitive navigation. The large windows provide natural light and integrate nature into indoor spaces. The couple values time spent in nature to find inner balance in the modern age, so natural elements such as rich wood tones and plants are integrated into the design to create balance with other more contemporary elements and materials, such as concrete. Modern technological solutions including smart lighting are important tools to maximize accessibility and independence. Minimalist and Japanese wabi-sabi influences create a ubiquitous sense of calm and make the home a zen safehaven from the fast pace of the outside world.
