Can Tactile Tiles Create Accessible Urban Spaces?

Abstract

In this article, the authors examine relations between citizenship, spatial accessibility, place appropriation, and territorial production that arise from the insertion in urban public spaces of new material objects—tactile tiles—employed to improve the orientation of visually impaired citizens in the city of Florianópolis in Brazil. The authors start by describing the materiality of tactile tiles, their functions, and physical attributes and how they can communicate useful spatial information through new signs and codes to support a safer orientation when visual information is lacking. Territory production, materiality, and appropriation of space are addressed based on the existence of the legal mandatory application of accessibility laws, public service attributions, local spatial configurations, and potential different user interpretations. These questions are illustrated by the multiple immaterial questions that arise from these new objects’ local applications. Finally, the authors discuss the role of urban planning in the construction of inclusive urban spaces.