Architectural Graphic Cognition Processes in Sheltered Housing Spaces for People with Intellectual Disabilities

Abstract

Inclusion processes in architectural environments are important and necessary aspects for the daily activities of all people. There are vulnerable sectors of society, such as people with intellectual disabilities, who must be incorporated, like any user of the inhabited architectural space. This empirical research exposes what has been the graphic process developed for project generation and its final score. Through formal cognitive strategies, using graphic expression in perceptual studies of these collectives, it has been possible to contrast a good performance and positive answer from your users. These are two specific sheltered housing projects which there has been monitoring and approach, detailed in all their processes. They have started with their beginnings and project ideas, continuing with material and formal processes reaching their final graphic result. These processes have continued being applied in construction and actual built result. Subsequently, the behavior and acceptance of its users with sensitive perceptions have been analyzed. Despite the specificity of these two cases tested, the graphic strategies developed can serve as references to contribute the inclusion of the entire society. These processes are open, keeping away any limitation in the creativity of the architectural project generation.