Chris Downey is an architect with over 30 years of professional practice - continuing without sight since 2008. Leveraging this altered perspective as a unique value, he now specializes in universal design for projects for the blind and visually impaired including eye clinics, rehabilitation centers and schools for the blind while also consulting on other projects including museums, cultural centers, tech offices and transit centers. Recently appointed as the inaugural recipient of the Lifchez Visiting Professor of Practice in Social Justice for the UC Berkeley College of Environmental Design, Chris is to teach a graduate level studio for the Department of Architecture during the spring semester of 2022.
Chris has been featured in numerous media stories including “60 Minutes” with CBS News, has exhibited internationally including the Victoria & Albert Museum in London and speaks globally for Fresh Speakers with a TED talk that has been viewed well over a million times. Chris currently serves as chair of the California commission on disability Access and is on the “Building Blind Ambition” capital campaign for Enchanted Hills Camp owned and operated by the San Francisco LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired.
Courses
Multisensory Design: A Case Study at the Washington State School for the Blind
Tuesday, June 10, 2025 | 2:00-3:00pm EST
Historically, people experiencing disability have been segregated and excluded from mainstream spaces. With a majority presence of non-disabled participants in design teams, there’s often a lack of inclusive practices that address the perspectives of those with varied sensory abilities. Through a case study presentation of the Life Skills Training Center at the Washington State School for the Blind, participants will gain practical insights and actionable strategies to enhance the accessibility and inclusivity of the design process and the resulting decisions forming the built environment.