Presentation Board
City Stories: Art Beyond Sight
An Interactive and Multi-Sensory Exhibition (Inclusive Exhibition)
“Do not touch, just look”. In Malaysia, there are 39,475 people who are blind and partially visual impaired but the restrictions and lack of accessibility in museums, exhibitions and installations cause inconvenience to this community as most of the displays are to be visually enjoyed. In fact, art and culture should be participated fully by everyone regardless of their disabilities, age or other factors in contribution to an inclusive society. City Stories: Art Beyond Sight aims to bring Malaysian history, art and culture to both visually impaired and sighted community through multi-sensory and interactive experiences. The exhibition enhances each sense, allowing visitors to embark on a journey of visualisation beyond sight as it promotes the history of the site: Jalan Ampang along with Malaysian art and culture. At the same time, bring awareness for more diversity and inclusion of the disabled community through understanding their perspective in “visualising”.
Cafe/ Lounge Area - A chillax area to encourage interactions between people and reduce misconceptions on disabilities after exploring the exhibition, with Malaysian snacks cafe and mini braille printed library provided. It is fully lit up with natural daylighting and ventilation from the automatic open hinged skylight. To ease the navigation of the visually-impaired, yellow acrylic tactile and contrasting colours were used to avoid hazards.
Automatic Open Hinged Skylight - Promotes stack ventilation and natural lighting throughout the space for better indoor environment while the glass panels were made with photovoltaic glass panels to generate electricity power to the building.
Workshop + Retail Area - A natural lighting flushed workshop beside the corridor for comfortable lighting throughout the space, especially the visually-impaired, to have the chance to explore and learn Malaysian traditional art and craft as a skill development and to be sold to sustain the project.
Information Counter - An exit from exhibition and second entrance for visitors to the cafe and workshop area. There will be staffs on standby so visitors may pay for their purchase and collect their belongings from the reception counter.
Registration Counter - Registration for exhibition right after the entrance to enter the brailled and audio descripted preview area which showcases what to expected from an interactive exhibition for the visually impaired.
Exhibition Area 1: Tin Mining - Experience tin mining environment of Jalan Ampang in the 1880s. Unlike usual exhibitions, visitors can experience through touching and smelling of tin products, miniatures, braille descriptions and sound from LED interactive flooring.
Exhibition Area 2: Harmony - Development of tin mining encouraged Chinese culture into Malaysia. Visitors can experience the joy of Malay and Chinese race harmonisation through their cultural celebrations with traditional clothing, crafts and items to touch.
Exhibition Area 3: Riot 1969 - Visitors can experience the chaotic and terror of the 13 May 1969 riot incident which happened in Kuala Lumpur through braille descriptions, audio effects and the smell of blood and smoke.
Exhibition Area 4: Development - The peacefulness and fast development of Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur after the riot can be experienced through touchable 3D printed building miniatures along with interactive LED screens and audio effects.
Sensory Theatre - A senses stimulating 4D motion theatre showcasing a walkthrough along Jalan Ampang’s daily activities with educational input for the awareness of inclusivity and diversity to visitors.
Corridor - Corridor walkway between lounge area and workshop with striking yellow tactile and different floor textures as guide throughout the spaces. Peranakan tiles ceiling along the corridor enhances the entire Malaysian interior style environment.
Shaded Pedestrian Walkway - Shaded walkway with tactile flooring along the view of the workshop area. Since the workshop is flushed with glass windows, his could attract visitors into the exhibition.
Front Facade - As the front facade faces Jalan Ampang main road, greeneries, metal cladding and patterned concrete blocks were added to the existing design to attract more visitors while blending in to its surroundings.
