Amanprit Arnold, an urban planner and activist, has launched the DeafCity Hub campaign, aiming to establish a dedicated cultural and co-working space for the Deaf community in the UK. Arnold notes that despite 18 million people in the UK having hearing issues, there is currently no such dedicated centre.
This month, the DeafCity Hub project secured a year-long "meanwhile" space in London. This temporary building, awaiting redevelopment, was obtained through a partnership with Westminster City Council and the Oxford Street Development Corporation.
Arnold's vision for the DeafCity Hub includes creating or adapting a building using Deaf-friendly architectural guidelines known as DeafSpace principles. These principles incorporate features such as wide corridors, natural light, and strategic use of glass to improve sightlines, as well as rooms designed for circular seating to facilitate communication in British Sign Language (BSL).
Arnold, who specialises in accessibility through her design agency Disability Urbanism, sees the DeafCity Hub as a revival of a 1986 plan for an International Deaf Cultural Centre in London that did not come to fruition. She highlights the importance of a dedicated space for the Deaf community to celebrate its cultural identity.