The City Through Unseeing Eyes: A Five-Dimensional Framework for Inclusive Urban Architecture for the Visually Impaired

Abstract

This study examines how individuals with visual impairments perceive and experience urban spaces that are predominantly designed for sighted users. Employing a phenomenological approach combined with direct observation and semi-structured interviews, the research explores the embodied experiences and sensory perceptions of blind and low-vision individuals in navigating the urban environment of a mid-sized Indonesian city. To strengthen the analysis, the RAPFISH (Rapid Appraisal for Fisheries) method was adapted to assess dimensions of urban accessibility from the perspective of visually impaired users. The findings reveal that the urban landscape does not yet provide adequate support for non-visual sensory access, particularly in the domains of information and technology (23.86), social acceptance (30.78), and safety and comfort (39.84). Among the five dimensions analyzed, information and technology fell into the “non-inclusive” category, while social acceptance and safety and comfort were classified as “less inclusive.” These results suggest that the city not only fails to provide physical accessibility but also symbolically excludes people with visual impairments from the meanings of urban space. The study underscores the importance of integrating assistive technologies, universal design, and multisensory planning into inclusive urban architecture.