Chris Downey: Design with the blind in mind

譯者: Marssi Draw 審譯者: Geoff Chen

So, stepping down out of the bus,

下了公車，

I headed back to the corner

我往回走到街角

to head west en route to a braille training session.

朝西走去參加布拉耶點字法的訓練課程。

It was the winter of 2009,

那是在 2009 年的冬天，

and I had been blind for about a year.

我失明大概一年了，

Things were going pretty well.

生活還算順利。

Safely reaching the other side,

我能安全地抵達另一邊，

I turned to the left,

我向左轉，

pushed the auto-button for the audible pedestrian signal,

按下盲人音響號誌的自動按鈕，

and waited my turn.

等著輪到我走。

As it went off, I took off

當聲音響起，我起步

and safely got to the other side.

安全地走到另一端。

Stepping onto the sidewalk,

踏上人行道後，

I then heard the sound of a steel chair

我聽見鐵椅的聲音

slide across the concrete sidewalk in front of me.

滑過我前方的混凝土人行道。

I know there's a cafe on the corner,

我知道街角有家咖啡廳，

and they have chairs out in front,

他們在外頭擺了幾張椅子，

so I just adjusted to the left

所以我向左移，

to get closer to the street.

靠馬路近一些。

As I did, so slid the chair.

當我一移動，椅子也跟著移了。

I just figured I'd made a mistake,

我發現我犯了個錯，

and went back to the right,

所以我往右挪回一些，

and so slid the chair in perfect synchronicity.

那椅子也分毫不差地跟著我移動。

Now I was getting a little anxious.

這讓我開始有點驚慌，

I went back to the left,

我再往左移回一些，

and so slid the chair,

椅子也跟著移了，

blocking my path of travel.

阻擋了我行進的道路。

Now, I was officially freaking out.

這下我可真的嚇壞了，

So I yelled,

所以我大叫：

"Who the hell's out there? What's going on?"

「到底是誰在那？發生什麼事了？」

Just then, over my shout,

在我大叫後，

I heard something else, a familiar rattle.

我聽見一個熟悉的聲音，

It sounded familiar,

聽起來很熟悉，

and I quickly considered another possibility,

我馬上就意識到另一種可能性，

and I reached out with my left hand,

我伸出左手

as my fingers brushed against something fuzzy,

摸到了毛絨絨的東西，

and I came across an ear,

接著我碰到一隻耳朵，

the ear of a dog, perhaps a golden retriever.

是狗的耳朵，大概是黃金獵犬。

Its leash had been tied to the chair

牠的鏈子綁在椅子上，

as her master went in for coffee,

主人在裡頭買咖啡，

and she was just persistent in her efforts

牠不斷努力地

to greet me, perhaps get a scratch behind the ear.

向我示好，也許希望我搔一下牠的耳後。

Who knows, maybe she was volunteering for service.

天曉得，也許牠想自願幫點忙也說不定。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

But that little story is really about

這個小故事其實是關於

the fears and misconceptions that come along

視障者在城市中移動時

with the idea of moving through the city

會有的害怕

without sight,

和誤解，

seemingly oblivious to the environment

對那些在你身旁

and the people around you.

看似習以為常的環境和人們。

So let me step back and set the stage a little bit.

讓我回過頭稍微安排一下場景。

On St. Patrick's Day of 2008,

2008 年的聖派翠克節當天，

I reported to the hospital for surgery

我到醫院動手術，

to remove a brain tumor.

移除腦腫瘤。

The surgery was successful.

手術成功。

Two days later, my sight started to fail.

兩天後，我的視力開始衰退，

On the third day, it was gone.

第三天，我失明了。

Immediately, I was struck by an incredible sense

一瞬間，恐懼、困惑和受傷的感覺

of fear, of confusion, of vulnerability,

重重地打擊了我，

like anybody would.

就像每個人一樣。

But as I had time to stop and think,

但是當我停下來好好想一想，

I actually started to realize

我開始了解，其實

I had a lot to be grateful for.

我應該要滿懷感激。

In particular, I thought about my dad,

尤其是，我想到我父親

who had passed away from complications

是因為腦部手術引起的

from brain surgery.

併發症而過世。

He was 36. I was seven at the time.

當時他 36 歲，我才 7 歲。

So although I had every reason

因此雖然我有很多原因

to be fearful of what was ahead,

應該要對未來感到害怕，

and had no clue quite what was going to happen,

而且我對將會發生的事一無所知，

I was alive.

但是至少我還活著。

My son still had his dad.

我的兒子還有爸爸。

And besides, it's not like I was the first person

另外，聽起來我也不是第一個

ever to lose their sight.

失去視覺的人。

I knew there had to be all sorts of systems

我知道社會上有很多機制、

and techniques and training to have

技術和訓練，

to live a full and meaningful, active life

讓即使看不見的我們 也能過一個充實、有意義、

without sight.

活躍的生活。

So by the time I was discharged from the hospital

因此，在我出院

a few days later, I left with a mission,

幾天之後，我肩負著使命，

a mission to get out and get the best training

希望能儘早出門、做最好的訓練，

as quickly as I could and get on to rebuilding my life.

愈快愈好，準備好重建我的生活。

Within six months, I had returned to work.

我必須在六個月內回到工作崗位，

My training had started.

因此我開始訓練。

I even started riding a tandem bike

我甚至開始和從前的自行車友

with my old cycling buddies,

一起騎雙人車，

and was commuting to work on my own,

而且我自己通勤上班，

walking through town and taking the bus.

穿越城鎮、搭上公車。

It was a lot of hard work.

這可不是簡單的工程。

But what I didn't anticipate

但是我沒有預期到

through that rapid transition

在擁有與失去視覺的

was the incredible experience of the juxtaposition

快速過渡期間，

of my sighted experience up against my unsighted experience

我會從相同的人和地點中

of the same places and the same people

得到如此驚人、迥異的經驗，

within such a short period of time.

就這短短的一段時間而已。

From that came a lot of insights,

我從當中得到許多領悟

or outsights, as I called them,

或是對外界事物的觀察力，

things that I learned since losing my sight.

就像我稱為那些在失明後學到的事。

These outsights ranged from the trival

這些對外界的觀察從小

to the profound,

到大都有，

from the mundane to the humorous.

有平淡無奇，也有幽默有趣的。

As an architect, that stark juxtaposition

身為建築師，這種顯著的對比

of my sighted and unsighted experience

出現在相同地點和城市中，

of the same places and the same cities

差別僅在於我是否擁有視覺，

within such a short period of time

而這段快速的過渡期，

has given me all sorts of wonderful outsights

帶給我城市中

of the city itself.

各種美好的觀察經驗。

Paramount amongst those

在那之中最重要的

was the realization that, actually,

其實是理解

cities are fantastic places for the blind.

城市對盲人來說是很棒的地方。

And then I was also surprised

因此，我也很驚訝

by the city's propensity for kindness and care

在城市中較常出現的是仁慈和關懷，

as opposed to indifference or worse.

而非相反的漠不關心。

And then I started to realize that

之後，我開始理解

it seemed like the blind seemed to have

盲人似乎對城市

a positive influence on the city itself.

有正向的影響。

That was a little curious to me.

這讓我有點好奇，

Let me step back and take a look

讓我們回過頭來看看

at why the city is so good for the blind.

為什麼城市有益於盲人。

Inherent with the training for recovery from sight loss

從失明中康復的訓練之一

is learning to rely on all your non-visual senses,

就是學著依靠其它非視覺的感官，

things that you would otherwise maybe ignore.

那些你原來可能忽略的感覺。

It's like a whole new world of sensory information

就像是一個附有感知訊息的新世界

opens up to you.

張開雙手歡迎你。

I was really struck by the symphony

真正讓我的大吃一驚的是

of subtle sounds all around me in the city

在城市中圍繞著我的微妙和諧聲響，

that you can hear and work with

你可以透過聽

to understand where you are,

來了解自己身在何處，

how you need to move, and where you need to go.

你應該怎麼移動、應該往哪邊走。

Similarly, just through the grip of the cane,

同樣地，只要緊握手杖，

you can feel contrasting textures in the floor below,

你就能感覺到地板上截然不同的質地，

and over time you build a pattern of where you are

幾次後，你就能建立起一套模式， 來辨別你身在何處、

and where you're headed.

你要往哪裡去。

Similarly, just the sun warming one side of your face

同樣地，只要感覺到陽光溫暖了你的臉頰，

or the wind at your neck

或是微風輕拂你的脖子，

gives you clues about your alignment

你就能了解自己身在街區中

and your progression through a block

的路徑和位置，

and your movement through time and space.

藉由時間和空間 了解你的移動位置。

But also, the sense of smell.

還有嗅覺。

Some districts and cities have their own smell,

某些地區和城市有它們自己的味道，

as do places and things around you,

你可以知道周圍有什麼，

and if you're lucky, you can even follow your nose

如果幸運的話，你可以跟著鼻子走進

to that new bakery that you've been looking for.

那間找了很久的新烘焙坊。

All this really surprised me,

這些事讓我十分驚奇，

because I started to realize that

因為我開始理解

my unsighted experienced

我的失明經歷

was so far more multi-sensory

讓我至今擁有的多重感官經驗

than my sighted experience ever was.

更勝於我在有視覺時所有擁的。

What struck me also was how much the city

讓我驚訝的還有這個城市

was changing around me.

在我週遭有了多少變化。

When you're sighted,

有視覺的時候，

everybody kind of sticks to themselves,

每個人都像把焦點放在自己身上，

you mind your own business.

只關心自己的事。

Lose your sight, though,

失去視覺，雖然

and it's a whole other story.

這又是另一個完全不同的故事。

And I don't know who's watching who,

我不知道誰在看誰，

but I have a suspicion that a lot of people are watching me.

但是我總懷疑有很多人盯著我看。

And I'm not paranoid, but everywhere I go,

我不是偏執狂，但是不管我到哪，

I'm getting all sorts of advice:

我都會聽到各種不同的建議：

Go here, move there, watch out for this.

走這邊、往那移、小心這個。

A lot of the information is good.

有很多訊息是不錯，

Some of it's helpful. A lot of it's kind of reversed.

有些蠻有幫助，但是有些反而幫了倒忙。

You've got to figure out what they actually meant.

你得搞清楚他們真正的意思，

Some of it's kind of wrong and not helpful.

有一些是錯的，幫不上忙。

But it's all good in the grand scheme of things.

但是長遠來看都是好的。

But one time I was in Oakland

有一次我在奧克蘭，

walking along Broadway, and came to a corner.

走在百老匯大道上準備轉彎，

I was waiting for an audible pedestrian signal,

我等到盲人音響號誌的聲音停止後，

and as it went off, I was just about to step out into the street,

正要踏上馬路，

when all of a sudden, my right hand

突然間，我的右手

was just gripped by this guy,

被這個先生一把抓起，

and he yanked my arm and pulled me out into the crosswalk

然後他抓著我的手臂，把我拉上行人穿越道，

and was dragging me out across the street,

拖著我過街，

speaking to me in Mandarin.

對著我說中文。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

It's like, there was no escape from this man's death grip,

就像是你無法從這男人 死命抓著的手裡逃開，

but he got me safely there.

但他還是讓我安全抵達了。

What could I do?

我能怎麼樣？

But believe me, there are more polite ways

但是相信我，還有很多有禮貌的方式

to offer assistance.

能提供協助。

We don't know you're there,

我們不知道你在那裡，

so it's kind of nice to say "Hello" first.

所以能先開口說聲：「你好」會較恰當，

"Would you like some help?"

「你需要幫忙嗎？」

But while in Oakland, I've really been struck by

但是當我在奧克蘭時，

how much the city of Oakland changed

這座城市改變之多讓我十分驚訝，

as I lost my sight.

在我失明後感受深刻。

I liked it sighted. It was fine.

看得見的城市我也喜歡，它很好。

It's a perfectly great city.

它是一個完美的大城市，

But once I lost my sight

但是當我失去視覺、

and was walking along Broadway,

走在百老匯大道上，

I was blessed every block of the way.

我無時無刻都被祝福。

"Bless you, man."

「先生，祝福你。」

"Go for it, brother."

「老兄，加油！」

"God bless you."

「願上帝祝福你。」

I didn't get that sighted.

我看得見的時候可沒這好處。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

And even without sight, I don't get that in San Francisco.

即使失明，我在舊金山也沒得到祝福，

And I know it bothers some of my blind friends,

我知道這對我的一些 視障朋友來說有點困擾，

it's not just me.

不只是我而已。

Often it's thought that

通常那都會被看做是

that's an emotion that comes up out of pity.

出自憐憫的祝福。

I tend to think that it comes out of our shared humanity,

我試著去把它看成是我們共有的人性，

out of our togetherness, and I think it's pretty cool.

出於同甘共苦，我認為那也挺酷的。

In fact, if I'm feeling down,

其實如果我覺得難過，

I just go to Broadway in downtown Oakland,

只要走到奧克蘭的市中心百老匯，

I go for a walk, and I feel better like that,

到那散個步，我就會感覺好一點，

in no time at all.

不用多少時間。

But also that it illustrates how

但是那也說明了

disability and blindness

身障和視障如何

sort of cuts across ethnic, social,

切斷人種、社會、

racial, economic lines.

族群和經濟的界限。

Disability is an equal-opportunity provider.

每個人都有同樣的機率成為身障，

Everybody's welcome.

每個人都歡迎。

In fact, I've heard it said in the disability community

事實上，我在身障圈中聽過

that there are really only two types of people:

世界上只有兩種人的說法：

There are those with disabilities,

一種是身障者，

and there are those that haven't quite found theirs yet.

另一種是那些還沒發現自己是身障者的人。

It's a different way of thinking about it,

這是另一種不同的思考方式，

but I think it's kind of beautiful,

但是我認為這是美好的想法，

because it is certainly far more inclusive

因為這比起

than the us-versus-them

用你我對立

or the abled-versus-the-disabled,

或是將健全和身障對立的觀點 更能概括一切，

and it's a lot more honest and respectful

而且這對人生的脆弱

of the fragility of life.

也顯得更為真誠和尊敬。

So my final takeaway for you is

因此，我最後要送給你們的禮物是

that not only is the city good for the blind,

不只是城市對盲人友善，

but the city needs us.

城市也需要我們。

And I'm so sure of that that

我確信

I want to propose to you today

我今天提出的想法：

that the blind be taken as the prototypical city dwellers

當你想像一個新的完美城市時，

when imagining new and wonderful cities,

盲人應該被當成是典型的城市居民，

and not the people that are thought about

而非在模型都做好了之後，

after the mold has already been cast.

才被想到的那群人。

It's too late then.

到那個時候就太遲了。

So if you design a city with the blind in mind,

因此如果在你設計城市時心中有盲人，

you'll have a rich, walkable network of sidewalks

你就會擁有一個豐富、 適合步行的人行道網絡，

with a dense array of options and choices

有各式各樣的選擇，

all available at the street level.

在街上都能取得。

If you design a city with the blind in mind,

如果在你設計城市時心中有盲人，

sidewalks will be predictable and will be generous.

人行道就能較人性化與寬廣。

The space between buildings will be well-balanced

建築物之間的空間

between people and cars.

和人車之間才能取得平衡。

In fact, cars, who needs them?

其實誰需要車子？

If you're blind, you don't drive. (Laughter)

如果你是盲人，你根本不開車。 （笑聲）

They don't like it when you drive. (Laughter)

大家可不喜歡你開車。 （笑聲）

If you design a city with the blind in mind,

如果在你設計城市時心中有盲人，

you design a city with a robust,

你就會設計一個健全、

accessible, well-connected mass transit system

好用、連結完善的大眾運輸系統，

that connects all parts of the city

能夠連接城市的每個角落

and the region all around.

和每個地區。

If you design a city with the blind in mind,

如果在你設計城市時心中有盲人，

there'll be jobs, lots of jobs.

就會帶來工作機會，很多工作機會。

Blind people want to work too.

盲人也想工作，

They want to earn a living.

他們也想自己賺錢過生活。

So, in designing a city for the blind,

因此，為盲人設計一個城市，

I hope you start to realize

我希望你能開始理解

that it actually would be a more inclusive,

那其實會是一個對所有人更加包容、

a more equitable, a more just city for all.

平等與正義的城市。

And based on my prior sighted experience,

根據我過去擁有視力時的經驗，

it sounds like a pretty cool city,

聽起來這是個蠻酷的城市，

whether you're blind, whether you have a disability,

不管你是否是盲人、身障者，

or you haven't quite found yours yet.

或是你還沒發現自己是身障者的人。

So thank you.

謝謝！

(Applause)

（掌聲）