The evaluation of art in landscape design for blind users

Society does not only consist of individuals who are physically, cognitively or psychologically fully competent. Everyone may encounter some health problems at some point in their lives or have to struggle with some limitations. Disability is the partial or complete inability of individuals to fulfill one or more of their physical, cognitive, psychological and social functions as a result of genetic or environmental factors. Within the scope of this study, a design approach has been tried to be developed for blind users. Blind users also have the right to independently access the physical environment, which provides opportunities such as socializing, merging with the community, being in touch with nature, without encountering any obstacles, with minimal physical effort. Urban spaces created by using design for everyone can be made more accessible, comfortable, user-oriented, safe and livable. However, with the right design, obstacles can be removed. At this point, some supporting concepts are used. One of these is art that satisfies people emotionally and psychologically, responds to their aesthetic perceptions, informs and sometimes makes them question, and in some cases can be educational and therapeutic. Social, cultural, economic and aesthetic value of spaces can be increased by including art in design. Thus, urban spaces that attract people and provide sensory satisfaction can be designed. In this context, in order to create a theoretical infrastructure, how visual disability is defined and classified, and how blind individuals perceive their environment is emphasized. The place of the concept of art in their lives, how and to what extent they will be affected if art is included in design, has tried to be examined through some examples from Turkey and the world. It has also been tried to develop suggestions on how to develop design applications in which art is included in line with the wishes and needs of visually impaired users.