Filmmaking as a Tool for Investigating the Positive Spatial Experiences of Disabled People

Current studies at the intersection between architecture and disability
focus on addressing the immediate needs of disabled individuals and often overlook
the potential of built environments to create positive experiences. Additionally,
conventional approaches for investigating disabled people's spatial experiences
often fail to capture the inherent nuanced sensory and emotional aspects. This paper
describes the process of filmmaking and the use of film to explore its contributions
and limitations in the understanding on how personal and contextual factors
influence individuals’ positive spatial experiences. The film Places and Small
Pleasures, produced by the Cluster for Spatial Inclusion at the Royal Danish
Academy in collaboration with Nossell & Co, serves as a case study for a reflective
inquiry. The filmmaking process involved participant interviews, transcript analysis,
storyboarding, shooting, editing, and final screening. The analysis of the interviews
with four selected participants revealed key spatial attributes and contextual
phenomena contributing to their described positive experiences. Four distinct
narratives emerged, highlighting the participants’ diverse bodily conditions,
emotions and feelings in their favorite places. Representations of their experiences
through the film incorporated verbal and non-verbal cues, their bodily reactions, and
contextual phenomena, offering an immersive sensory richness for the viewers. By
capturing the embodied experiences of the four participants within their personal
and spatial contexts, the filmmaking process enhanced understanding and empathy,
enriching disability studies and fostering academic discourse in this domain through
positive stories.