Move along, nothing to see here

Experience the world as someone who sees little or nothing at all: this has been possible in Seestadt for about half a year. The well-known brand "Dialogue in the Dark" has set up shop on Barbara-Prammer-Allee and invites visitors to explore around 500 square meters of exhibition space—where, fittingly, there is nothing to see.

We start our journey into darkness from a bright foyer on the first floor, furnished with lots of wood and overlooking Elinor-Ostrom-Park. Each visitor takes a white cane from a box and follows a visually impaired or blind guide into the installation. Beforehand, staff advise you to keep your left hand on the wall to notice when you turn a corner or go up or down. The use of the cane is briefly explained, and you are asked to listen carefully to your guide. Then it begins. The small group of up to eight people follows guides like the blind Mekonnen Tiruneh through pitch-dark corridors, feeling their way along the walls, experiencing a park atmosphere and a city scene, sensing a bicycle or a trash can, and arriving at a bar where you can even order a drink and see if it tastes more intense here. Because of the darkness, the sound of a waterfall and the noise of cars are perceived more clearly and intensely. Not too much should be revealed—each visitor should discover for themselves what obstacles lie in their path. But anyone who leaves the exhibition will certainly have a greater understanding of what it’s like for people who see little or nothing at all.

At the same time, the mentality she perceives here in Seestadt fits perfectly with the idea behind the social education project, as Kriechbaum emphasizes: "The people who live here not only enjoy coming to our exhibition themselves—we have many visitors from Seestadt. But beyond that, many locals quickly got to know us and were always happy to bring groups who might have asked for directions to us." In general, she senses a strong openness among Seestadt residents: "We are an exhibition that tells stories about being different and wants to make this tangible—and I have noticed this willingness to show tolerance here in Seestadt from the very beginning."
Moving to Seestadt was also a positive change for the staff of "Dialogue in the Dark," says Kriechbaum: "Some of us enjoy spending our lunch breaks by the lake or in the park in front of the building. Having our base in Seestadt has greatly improved the quality of life around the workplace." For those working as guides, the new surroundings were introduced by accompanying them from the subway station to the location on Barbara-Prammer-Allee. "On our side of Seestadt, tactile guidance systems will be further expanded in the future, while on the other side of the U2 station, many such lines already exist. These make it easier to find your way with a cane. Our guides are looking forward to when this will also be the case up to Barbara-Prammer-Allee," says Kriechbaum. Strong contrasts, such as those at the subway station, already help visually impaired people with orientation, she explains. In general, in Seestadt, it is easy for those with partial sight to distinguish between the street and the sidewalk. She also finds, based on the experiences of her guides and visually impaired acquaintances, that the wide sidewalks in Seestadt contribute to good coexistence: "If someone with a white cane comes toward me, it’s much easier to step aside and make room here in Seestadt, where the sidewalks are so wide, than in the historic center, where this can sometimes be a problem."

When it comes to accessibility, you always have to consider many different interests in a developing urban area, as Kriechbaum points out: "While curbs are an obstacle for people in wheelchairs and those with strollers, they are orientation points for people with visual impairments. Of course, you can’t always please everyone at the same time, but we are glad that blind and visually impaired people are also considered in the planning here in Seestadt." She adds: "For us, accessibility is not just about whether there are sidewalks or guidance lines." Rather, says Kriechbaum, "it’s also about the people who live around the location—and we quickly noticed that many Seestadt residents have a very positive attitude toward us. They understand and welcome our motivation to introduce people to the world of the blind and visually impaired."