Disability and Otherization: Readings on Cinema in the Light of UD Principles

Abstract

Cinema and architecture are universal with their inclusiveness in the mental process. The mental process is often generated by the sense of sight in modern times. In this sense, cinema, as a visual art, has started to take an active role in the intellectual, conceptual and creative actions of modern man. With the cinema, the realities of the virtual world have become more convincing than the dreams of the real world. It involves person-environment relationships which might not be ours but “look like ours”. Universal Design (UD) also puts forward a proactive interaction in-between man and environment. UD is based on equitable, flexible, intuitive, perceptible, tolerant-to-error access with appropriate size and space. While its conceptual basis with its guidelines are commonly constructed on the spatial needs of people with disabilities, it highlights disability does not focus on only permanent, visible, bodily or intellectual (dis)abilities. Every kind of "otherization" creates disability in society. This study aims to investigate how the relationship between architecture and disability in cinema is portrayed by reading through films that are masterpieces covering experiences of different disability groups. Using Visual Analysis method in the study, the codes and categories generated based on the UD Principles are associated with selected visual images and dialogues according to the frames of meaning of the scenes in the films. In this way, this study aims to question the location of UD parameters in physical and social environment through cinema.

Keywords

• Cinema, disability, otherization, physical environment, universal design