Description

Tactual map of the MIT campus made of cream-colored polyvinyl chloride. The raised surfaces (in green) represent the built environment of the campus, with different kinds of terrain (buildings, sidewalks, grass, and other features) made with different textures. A key in one corner defines what each texture represents.

In 1972, architecture students Ann Kidwell and Peter Greer designed this campus map for the blind. Working with blind MIT and Harvard students, they investigated how these students conceptualized MIT’s campus and created graphic techniques to create a tactile representation of it. The map was made of flexible PVC rugged enough to stand up to heavy wear, but cheap enough for mass production. The MIT Planning Office helped fund the initial map and distributed copies to sight-impaired students.

In addition, the American Foundation for the Blind, which was a partner in this project, published a book (Sites, Perception and the Nonvisual Experience by Kidwell and Greer) about this project. The map also came with a user's manual and directory in both a paper and a casette version.