Visiting architecture students experience DeafSpace on the Gallaudet campus

Sixteen students trickled in on the morning of February 8 and sat on a wooden bench that curved into a horseshoe shape, allowing them to talk to each other easily. From their seats, they could see in every direction. Large, north-facing glass windows showed the outside entryways. People walking on the second and third levels were visible through glass railings. They could even see inside the elevator, framed with a glass wall that faced the open atrium.

The students were sitting in Gallaudet’s Sorenson Language and Communication Center (SLCC), one of the only buildings in the world designed using DeafSpace architecture. If they wanted to, they could use sign language to communicate with anybody in eyesight.

These students, however, didn’t know how to sign. In fact, it was their first time setting foot on the Gallaudet campus after making the journey from New York City, where they attended Barnard College and Columbia University. (Barnard is an affiliate of Columbia.) They were part of a Disability and Architecture class that had come to see how Deaf culture infused itself into the built environment at Gallaudet.

“When I arrived, I thought it looked like a normal university campus. As I walked, I started to notice design differences I hadn’t seen before, like the elevator with a glass wall. That’s when the DeafSpace feeling started to hit me.” — Carolina, Student

“Gallaudet seemed like a great opportunity for my students to learn how disability can overlap with the built environment,” said Barnard Professor Ignacio G. Galán. “The Deaf community has built spaces throughout history that adapt to their culture. I thought it was a wonderful opportunity for students to come and learn.”

The connection was made by Deaf architect Jeffrey Mansfield, the 2024 Keating Visiting Architect at Barnard College. After leading two classroom workshops in 2024, he knew there was only one campus where they could experience Deaf-influenced architecture for themselves. Mansfield reached out to Richard Dougherty, Gallaudet’s Executive Director of Architecture and Facilities Management.

“Much of the knowledge and experience in the Deaf community is funneled through Gallaudet. It’s like a lab,” Mansfield said. “New ideas and knowledge are tested to see what works and what needs improvement, so that Gallaudet can give back to the world. Really, a DeafSpace tour couldn’t happen anywhere else but here.”

DeafSpace architectural principles were created in 2005 at Gallaudet. Working with the Deaf community, the University created design guidelines that laid out the five touchpoints of DeafSpace: Sensory Reach, Space and Proximity, Mobility and Proximity, Light and Color, and Acoustics.

Even before the DeafSpace principles were documented, Gallaudet’s campus had been shaped by the needs of Deaf and hard of hearing people for over 100 years. It’s visible in the open spaces and natural lighting, as well as the stairwells and pathways that are wide enough to accommodate signers walking side-by-side.

Welcoming the Students

Today, Gallaudet’s campus is overseen by the Campus Design and Planning (CDP) team, who maintain the campus environment and coordinate the construction of new buildings, among many other responsibilities. 

On the day of the Barnard visit, the students were welcomed by CDP Director Christopher Hoffmann; Sophia Stone, Associate Interior Design and Space Analyst; Kiran Mapes, Associate Architectural Designer; and Daniel Moreno, Associate Interior Design and Space Analyst.

After introductions, everybody settled in as Mansfield took his place in front of the horseshoe-shaped wooden bench. He gave an arresting lecture on “The Architecture of Deafness”, tracking the Deaf community’s influence on the built environment from the 1800s to the present.

The next stop was the I. King Jordan Student Academic Center (JSAC), one of the busiest buildings on campus. Its spacious hallways were filled with students heading to the cafeteria, computer lab, or bookstore. On the second floor, the Barnard and Columbia students entered a room filled with old blueprints of Gallaudet buildings.

They were treated to a presentation by Gallaudet Archives Director Jim McCarthy, telling the story of two of Gallaudet alums who went on to be successful architects: Olof Hanson (1862-1933) and Thomas Marr (1867-1936). McCarthy explained how the Archives staff preserved old materials like building plans and photos. Then, the students had the chance to look through the blueprints themselves and see how accessibility was designed into the campus from the start.

Next, the group traveled north to one of the newest buildings on campus: Living and Learning Residence Hall 6 (LLRH6). Construction for LLRH6 began in 2011 after a collaborative design process between the architects and campus community. Today, the unique building serves as a hub of residential dorms, meeting rooms, and community spaces.

The Barnard and Columbia students gathered in a viewing area on the west side of the building for the final presentation of the day, from CDP Director Hoffmann: “Deaf Gain, Disability + Rethinking Design”. He connected DeafSpace guidelines to the concept of Deaf gain, and explored how human-centered design can elevate architectural thinking to benefit everybody.

Touring the Campus

The day transitioned into a tour of some of the campus exteriors, highlighting the ways that human-centered design is manifesting on Gallaudet’s campus. CDP led the students in examining Gallaudet’s mix of contemporary buildings, like LLRH6 and SLCC, and older, historic landmarks like the Hall Memorial Building (HMB).

Renovation plans for the Merrill Learning Center (MLC) showed Gallaudet’s commitment to integrating its built environment into the natural landscape. The existing building will soon be renovated to restore sightlines that connect Gallaudet’s central courtyard mall, while improving the interior functions of the library.

The CDP team highlighted the power of community engagement in creating a welcoming environment. On the west side of the campus mall, the students saw the òkànkwèpihëna tëtpi / Circle of Signers building, re-named in 2024 after collaboration with Deaf Indigenous community members.

The tour finished on the site of the future Louise B. Miller Memorial Pathways and Gardens, which will honor the history of Black Deaf contributions to Gallaudet University. Hoffmann and Mansfield re-emphasized the importance of community collaboration in architectural design by reflecting on the history of the Kendall School Division Il, which had once operated where the students were standing.

As the students left that day, it was clear that visiting the Gallaudet campus had made a strong impression. Quinn, a student, said, “What I learned about DeafSpace architecture is how it incorporates different layers of communication. Visually, spatially, sensory. How we interact with spaces isn’t through just one sense but multiple senses in the environment, like materials, light, sound, and smell. Everything flows together.”

CDP Director Hoffmann was happy to welcome the students. “Seeing 2D pictures just doesn’t give you the full sense of the campus,” he says. “It was good for the students to see Deaf culture and sign language in person.”

Gallaudet’s Campus Design and Planning team welcomes others to visit Gallaudet and experience the tour for themselves. “DeafSpace is known worldwide,” Hoffman says, “but you have to come to Gallaudet to understand what it actually means to exist in a space informed by visual thinking. It’s human-centered design at its finest.”

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Want to visit Gallaudet and learn more about DeafSpace? Get in touch with the Campus Design and Planning team.