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User knowledge and lived experiences are pivotal in bridging the gaps between the environment and individuals causing disability. Examples of best practices help us refine and develop the theoretical groundings of UD in academia and the practical implementation in design practices. Yet best practices are also needed in our methodological approaches across research and practice concerning how to work with and in the intersection of people and environments. The approach of the researcher is pivotal when facing individuals with diverse physical or cognitive abilities, but also when exploring the role of the environment. Architectural anthropology is one way of combining tools and mindsets that could be useful when studying more complex or nuanced processes, e.g., aging or impairment. In this paper, we focus on the knowledge of people who are experiencing incipient vision loss and the mutual and dynamic interrelation of (dis)abilities between the individual and their (home) environment. In the project entitled "The Role of Lighting When Vision Changes" we explore the phenomenon of vision loss, and in this paper, we provide a critical-reflective perspective on how fieldworks can contribute to this exploration. During the winter season of 2023-24, walk-along interviews were conducted in the homes of 37 participants 55+, including 10 normally sighted and 27 visually impaired (still using their residual vision). Based on transcriptions and fieldnotes, as well as reflective notes from subsequent joint discussions among the researchers, this paper discusses the role of architectural anthropology in the project and how it can scaffold new socio-material explorations as well as critical reflections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Universal Design (UD) and social sustainability are closely related agendas in today's construction industry. This paper studies how social sustainability was implemented as a strategic asset at a company level in an architectural studio and how it was subsequently practiced by different parts of the organisation. The merging of two architectural studios into one involved strategic development and a new common strategy for future collaboration and innovation, entitled "Always Based on People" (ABoP). Based on interviews and document analysis, the architectural studio's strategic work on social sustainability is analysed using the conceptualisation of multiplicity. By following four roles and their practices in the organisation; head manager, communication officer, project manager, and sustainability auditor, this analysis look at their context, background, methods, understanding and end-products, reveals different versions of social sustainability in relation to different stages of the design process. The case illustrates how values are represented, negotiated, and established within the organisation, reflecting different types of values - espoused, shared, and aspirational. The paper argues that it would be relevant to assess and refine the feedback mechanisms and navigational skills of the organisation to include, distribute and coordinate, or even triangulate between, value-based concepts as social sustainability, UD, and accessibility. The result could be a situation where social sustainability functions as a lever for UD, and UD qualifies social sustainability counteracting social washing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Universal Design aims to ensure that as many people as possible can participate equally in society, with equal access to housing, education, workplaces, institutions, and public spaces. In the construction field, many of our existing guidelines still need to catch up regarding the diversity of user needs and preferences. Recent developments in low vision rehabilitation have underscored the pivotal role of domestic lighting in fostering independent living and enhancing the quality of life for people with visual impairments. Moreover, several stakeholder organizations and associations in the field of low-vision rehabilitation have published lighting guidelines for this target group. A direct comparison of the different guidelines is difficult, as their focus, vocabulary, and level of abstraction differ: the rehabilitation process focuses on optimizing lighting to support and aid the individual's abilities in the existing environment. It is not directly related to the design- or construction process. Yet, how do the guidelines for lighting fit the actual settings and conditions in Danish homes of people with incipient vision loss or visual impairment today? In this paper, a selection of these guidelines is assessed and analyzed in relation to three lighting categories: illuminance, luminance, and the visual system. The guidelines are also compared to the initial findings of an ongoing field study. This field study, a crucial component of the research, investigates the role of lighting for individuals experiencing incipient vision loss. This comprehensive approach, which includes both theoretical guidelines and real-world observations, ensures the reliability and relevance of the research, providing a solid foundation for the findings. The practical implications of this research are significant, as it provides valuable insights for architects, researchers, and individuals with visual impairment. Through observations and walk-along interviews in their home environment, we get their personal narratives and observe their lived everyday environments. 37 walk-along interviews were conducted from October 2023 - March 2024 during dark hours. The preliminary findings of the field observations, including observations and measurements, are compared to the guidelines of both the context of building design and -construction and the context of low-vision rehabilitation and stakeholder organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]