Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site

Remember and Commemorate

With a new concept, the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial is setting a political example for diversity and – on the 75th anniversary of the liberation – is taking an important step towards inclusion. People with disabilities, who until 1945 were also among those who experienced immeasurable suffering at this site, can now explore the grounds independently and autonomously with the help of specially designed media.

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The centerpiece of our work in Dachau is a new tactile model, made of metal, that provides an overview of the memorial site today and the extent of the concentration camp grounds in 1945. The advantage of this model, which is equally accessible to all people, is not only a lockable folding mechanism, which protects the structure even in outdoor spaces, but also a colored representation of the buildings, which makes it easy for visually challenged people to recognize. Accompanying information is provided by a tactile medium that can be carried along on the tour.

With audio descriptions, Braille, tactile profile writing and texts in contrasts for the visually challenged in German and English, it makes the intangible comprehensible during a visit to the memorial. The project, the only one of its kind in Germany, was preceded by an elaborate struggle to find the best solution. Many participants in the jury, including representatives of the Comité International de Dachau, gave weight to the decision in favor of the inkl.Design Concept.

Our work for the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial was not only rewarded by the many positive feedbacks we received, but also by an international award. The project won the Silver Award 2021 of the International Association for Universal Design (IAUD). The expert jury sees our work as “An outstanding designed and successful example of a multi-sensory experience that applies the principles of Universal Design.”.

Photo of the two installed tactile models in front of the entrance to the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site.

Tactile Displays

Photo of a tactile model with an overview of the present memorial site including tactile lettering in Braille and profile lettering.
Detail photo of a tactile model with guard towers of the concentration camp in the foreground
Detail photo of a tactile model with buildings of the former concentration camp scanned by a finger
Detail photo of a tactile model with representation of various building complexes of the former concentration camp
Two detail photos of the tactile models "1945" and "Today "Left: Two visitors in the background talking about the tactile model

Renderings

Detail photo of a tactile plan with representation of a transparent tactile foil for path guidance
A rendering of the tactile model in the outdoor space

Accompanying Media

Photo of the mobile tactile maps with detailed information about the concentration camp memorial site
Detail photo of the mobile tactile plans with the tab "Introduction", "Today", "1945" and "Legend".
Two detail photos of a tactile map to show text pages with Braille and large print, and a color tactile site plan
Detail photo of a tactile plan with representation of a transparent tactile foil for path guidance

Inclusion in Detail

Photo of a wheelchair user and a blind woman at one of the tactile models
Two photos of a blind woman at the inauguration of the tactile models
Group photo of blind people at the inauguration of the tactile models
Two photos of members of the Bavarian Federation for the Blind and Visually Impaired
Photo of the project managers of the concentration camp memorial and the agency at the inauguration. In the bottom left corner of the picture you can see the IAUD Silver Award 2021.

Project Details

Project scope: Didactic concept for the implementation of the mediation goals for blind and visually challenged people, material and production research for the production of robust tactile models, conception and implementation of a lockable model carrier, planning and implementation of the tactile displays including product design and 3D data creation, graphic design of accompanying media with tactile detail illustrations in German and English, organization and implementation of focus group work, creation of extensive audio description texts for blind-friendly image description, production of audio files, production supervision and monitoring
Photo of the assembly of a cardboard model as a functional model for model construction
A cardboard model of the tactile model
A detailed view of an untreated house model still packaged in transparent foil
Two employees assembling the folding mechanism of the touch model
A picture from the workshop during the assembly of the rotating body
An employee of inkl Design looking closely at the dismantled mode
Detailed view of one of the small model buildings of the metal tactile model
Detailed view of the miniature metal buildings
View of a metal plate with the Today lettering
Time-lapse animation of the assembly of the tactile model on site in Dachau
Two Inkl Design employees look at a dismantled model plate of the tactile model
An employee of inkl Design during the first inspection of the finished tactile model in closed condition
Gregor Strutz from inkl Design photographing a metal model plate
An employee of inkl Design doing the final touches on the tactile model
Detail photo of a dismantled metal model plate with partially screwed building models
A close-up of a built-in miniature building
A person feeling a sample production of part of the memorial buildings
Gregor Strutz feeling the finished model on site for the first time
Cover image Architecture of emotions

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