London adventures introduce students to human-centered design

It is hard for Richard Dougherty, Gallaudet’s Executive Director of Architecture and Facilities, to imagine a better classroom than London, England. “The city offers a living laboratory for learning, showcasing everything from medieval to modern structures, including iconic landmarks like Big Ben and the ultra-modern U.S. Embassy,” explains Dougherty, who can trace his interest in design back to his childhood, when he attended a Deaf school just outside of London.

So for the launch of Dougherty’s new Human-Centered Design course this summer, he took a mix of undergrads and graduate students on an epic field trip: a 10-day tour of the U.K. capital that included an overview of historical sites, visits to Deaf schools, and a workshop with cutting-edge architects Manalo & White in their River Thames office. The goal was not just to see the sights, but also to set in motion a plan to extend Gallaudet’s global outreach and promote inclusive design education.

A Deaf perspective on design

The schedule was “jam packed,” says Elvis Zornoza, one of 10 students in the eight-week course, which continues to build on their experiences abroad. They come from a range of majors and fields, but all of them care deeply about the built environment. Zornoza appreciated that the trip introduced him to a range of styles to consider, particularly from a Deaf perspective. “Some of the buildings there are so old, and [their] hallways are lousy. They’re narrow and twisty. And some new buildings are really amazing. They have state-of-the-art design, and are gorgeous. Yet, they still fail to accommodate deaf people,” Zornoza says. 

These are the sort of insights that Dougherty wants students to grapple with — and be inspired by. “For me, the best designers in the world should be deaf as we use our eyes differently, but the educational barriers at college/university level doesn’t allow the proliferation of skilled and qualified deaf designers to happen,” he says. “I was fortunate to benefit from the right support to complete my architectural education, but sadly, too many of my deaf peers often drop out after the first few years in architectural or design school despite their enormous potential and talent.” 

With this course, Dougherty hopes he can start to reverse that pattern. “Gallaudet University is in a wonderful position to address this with the exceptional level of access they provide for our students here,” he says.

Plus, his work is providing students with the opportunity to take part in several projects, including two at Gallaudet (the Carlin Hall Dorm and JSAC Library renovation) and two in the U.K. (a new sports hall for a Deaf school and a Deafspace audit of the $900M U.S. Embassy building). “There is a real incentive in this course to bridge the gap between theoretical learning and addressing real-world challenges, which will put our students in good stead for the future,” he adds.

London calling

To develop the itinerary for the trip, Dougherty worked with Hands On Travel, a company founded by Terry Giansanti, ’98. Their guide, Himel Chowdury, helped Dougherty encourage the students to encounter diverse cultures and design influences, learn some British Sign Language (BSL), and get a feel for exploring on foot. “London’s dynamic street network and the urban fabric contribute significantly to London’s unique character,” Dougherty says. “I think the students can testify that I’m perhaps a little too fond of walking too much!”

Some highlights included visiting the British Library, a campus tour of University College London, venturing into the countryside to Heathlands School of the Deaf, traversing across the city via the famous London Underground, and networking with one of the oldest deaf organizations in Europe.

But for Doughterty, the most memorable stop was “the smallest space that we encountered during the whole trip” — a three-foot by three-foot photo booth. “[We] had to figure out how to squeeze in over a roll of eight snapshot pictures in breakneck speed, which was no mean feat,” he says. “But the fact that we managed to do so is a great reflection of how well we gelled together as a team. That’s a memory that will live with me for a long time.”

Team effort

There is a long list of people Dougherty would like to thank for making this experience such a success. Gallaudet’s study abroad team, led by Fiona Grugan and assisted by Tracy Dunlap, ’21, and Hands On Travel hosted orientation workshops to make sure students had up-to-date passports and understood typical customs in London.

He greatly appreciates input from Provost Dr. Khadijat K. Rashid, ’90, Dean of the Faculty Dr. Caroline Solomon, and several other faculty and staff members, including Dr. Caroline Pezzarossi, G-’07 & PhD-’08, Dr. Miako Villanueva, G-’04 & PhD ’11, Dr. Roberto Sanchez, Amanda Mueller, Neal Murata, and the Campus Design and Planning Team. Dougherty also credits his wife for supporting “the first steps of the dream to address the current inequalities in the educational design sector and help Gallaudet to become a global leader in the world of design.” 

None of it would be possible without the students, who are the first cohort of human-centered design students at Gallaudet. “I genuinely hope that the trip will help them to leave this course with a broader mindset and desire to make the world a better place for all,” Dougherty says.

Zornoza says he’s already gained so much from the course, including Dougherty’s version of empathy. “I knew the definition of ‘empathy,’ of course, but when you talk about it in architectural terms it means this: I gather understanding of your struggles, your frustrations, your experiences, and what your ideas are, and then I take time to analyze all that information.” Zornoza says. “People feel their ideas are valued and you can make a difference.”

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Visit Buckingham Palace, the U.S. Embassy, and other London highlights through these fantastic videos created by student Elvis Zornoza.

Learn more about Richard Dougherty’s DeafSpace design work in this Instagram video promoting his upcoming appearance at the Deaf Ecosystem Summit in Sydney, Australia.