School for blind is set for functional face-lift

The Foundation for Blind Children East Valley Campus is about to get a makeover, with changes that might seem subtle but are critical for the people it serves.

The school, at 2005 N. 91st Place, off Warner Road just east of the Price Freeway, serves 28 students who have varying degrees of visual impairment. Most of the students have other challenges as well. The makeover of their 10-year-old building will include Braille wallpaper, new furniture without sharp angles, and tactile and audible features designed to make the space more user-friendly for the students and staff.

The foundation has been chosen as the recipient of this year’s makeover provided by the Inspire Design Foundation, a charitable organization started by Anita Lang, founder of the Scottsdale-based IMI Design Studio. Each year since 2007, Inspire Design has helped a non-profit receive a more functional and beautiful workspace.

Lang said this year’s design has been especially challenging.

“It’s been interesting,” Lang said. “You think of design as such a visual art. This has made us go a little deeper into our skill set and think of all the other experiences that are related to the other senses.”

The Inspire Design Foundation provides an opportunity for talented young design students. They develop a concept for the beneficiary and the winning student receives a $1,000 scholarship and a paid internship with IMI Design Studio to see their concept through to implementation. Other students who took part are given the opportunity to volunteer to complete the project and the one displaying the most team spirit also receives a scholarship.

Kristen Abbey, a Florida State University graduate, created the concept for the Foundation for Blind Children makeover after talking with school staff and observing their daily activity.

The Chandler location is among three campuses operated by the Foundation for Blind Children. Though founded as a school for children, the organization serves people from newborns to 102 years old.

The East Valley Campus teaches children from preschool to fourth grade the skills they need to reach their potential.

“With research showing that the first five years are the most critical developmental period, having our East Valley campus be transformed both aesthetically and functionally enhances our students’ learning environment tremendously,” said Marc Ashton, CEO of the Foundation for Blind Children.

The makeover will be completed during the school’s summer break, which means it will start this month and be completed by early August. Crews will work around a limited summer-session program.

Many of the architects, vendors and tradesmen that IMI Design normally works with donate time and materials for the annual makeover projects.

“I think with what’s donated to this point, which is phenomenal already, I’m expecting to raise about another $100,000 in cash to get it done,” she said.