Deaf-First Architecture: An Educational Design Framework for Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Abstract

The Deaf culture is one of, if not the only, people group with a culture and language that does not have a recognized building vernacular. Architecture has yet to respond to the needs of the deaf in a meaningful way. This thesis was built from over a dozen interviews with members of Deaf culture, instructors and students of deaf education. In exploring modified space, a framework emerged that can inform the designer of priorities and strategies when designing for the deaf. These principals were applied to a new pre-k - 12th grade day school for the deaf located in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood. In approaching school design for the deaf student first, a vernacular emerges that evokes high quality spaces that benefits all students.