Bus Station
Bus Station for Vision Impaired
GangNam, Seoul
Shim is multi-sensorial guided bus station designed for riders of all abilities in the busy neighborhood of Gangnam, Seoul. Information is layered in multiple ways to reduce stress and promote a relaxing, safe experience for all users as they navigate the city.
Challenges
Emotional Distress
Limitied Navigation
Modern facilities do not provide information beyond signage and graphics. Therefore, blind and visual impaired people have a hard time finding the information they need. It would be easier for them if information was provided through additional sensory methods. This would help with accessibility, and reduce stress.
Lack of Imformation
Audience
Primary Audience :
People are blind or vision impaired
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Information is sight-based.
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Tactile surfaces are not complete.
Secondary Audience :
People are new to this place
or foreigners
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Anxiety as a result of uncertainty.
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Needing information beyond the displayed language.
Site
GangNam, Seoul
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Bus station is in the middle of the street
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Lack of information
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Unfriendly circulation
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Three bus stops in a roll
The location is in GangNam, Seoul; one of the most crowded places in Korea. There are lots of subway bus stations lining the road. Some bus station are in the middle of the street, making it difficult to access for first time users. There isn’t enough information identifying the location and the destination of arriving buses. That information is posted inside the bus station, and would have to be memorized. Navigation and circulation is unfriendly, and multiple bus stops are lined up in a row.
Poster
Spacial Digram
Plan + Circulation + Programatic Diagram
Tactile paving guides people to the bus station, and continues into the bus station - adding a layer of information to the space. Prepay systems reduce the pressure to get into the bus in a hurry. Screen doors prevent falling off onto the sidewalk, and makes the circulation flow more easily for all commuters.
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Form Language
Experience
3D Map
Sound
Tactile
Braille
Bright & High Contrast Color
Chris is trying to find the traffic light. Normally, there is 3D map describing street conditions so he can understand the environment. These 3D maps have braille and graphics will be in high-contrast color. When you touch the 3D map, a voice assistant will also identify what you are touching.
Tactile Tile + Color Coding System
Tactile, Vibration
Lighting
Bright & High Contrast Color, Graduation Pattern
Stepping on the tactile tiles, the vibration lets a pedestrian know he is near the bus station. These tiles also activate the change of traffic lights to allow a person to cross.
Tactile Tile
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Gradient of pattern on the tactile pave
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LED Light tactile pave
When a pedestrian steps into the crosswalk, it will light up. The gradients of the pattern will help blind people to adjust the phase of the foot.
Bus Numbers
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Color coding system ( Color of bus number match with the bus color )
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Plants stop blind people to step to other direction
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Embossed number with Braille
The tactile tiles direct a commuter to the bus station. Tactile tiles direct a sight challenged person to a wall with bus numbers in braille.
Iconography
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Plants will add welcoming environment to the space
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LED Iconography
LED directional signage will furnish information on routes and buses, making the depot more user friendly.
Immersive Touching Experience
There is interactive wall,with forms inspired by braille. Commuters can roll the individual circles to send messages to others. The raised pattern on the wall helps people navigate the area. The bus station railing prevents people from walking off the sidewalk. After checking route numbers on the wall, one can scan a credit card to prepay for a bus ticket.
Tactile
Braille
interactive Graphic,
Color Change
Finding the Seat
Tactile, Pattern Change
Graphical Icon & Caption
When people sit, their weight will tilt the tile to create a slight level change. A visually impaired passenger can detect this level change, indicating if the seat is occupied. Seats have spaces below for guide dogs or packages, keeping both out of the aisles.
Interactive Bus Route Map
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Interactive 3D Map
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LED lights with sound assistant
Tactile, Pattern Change
Emboss
When people enter inside the bus station, they will see interactive bus route map. While touching the map people can touch and notice where is bus located in. People can know how much time it will take for the bus arrive to the station by the sound coming out from the map.
Sustainable Stratagy
Ideation
Form Development
