For reasons, (that I am not going to get into)…I have embarked on a Dude Detox / Man Ban/ Men Zen.

It is day 22…

Anyways, the purpose of this whole ‘exercise’ is to spend time focusing on being the best person I can possibly be (i know it sounds a little cheesy…) but I believe that we can sometimes get so wrapped up in our daily routine that we often forget to ‘slow down’ and spend a bit of time looking inward and alone.

I am using this time to really do things I enjoy and not worry about what the future may or may not hold. In just 22 days I have visited an art events (Sydney Contemporary & Art Up Late 10th Anniversary), visited a museum, spent a whole afternoon in a bookstore café by myself just reading/writing/drinking coffee, gone on a bushwalk with my parents, attended a nude drawing class, swam countless laps (whilst getting 4 shades darker), attended numerous yoga classes, watched a foreign film, went to a hipster ‘soup party’, made 4 new friends and have re-connected with old friends…

However, I believe the best part that has arisen from this whole ‘dude detox’ is my discovery of the Achillies Running Group. It is a fantastic group which I am now proudly a member of!

Every Sunday morning (at 8am…a killer!) I now go running with visually-impaired individuals around The Domain & Centennial Park. Ok, so I am not going to lie….it has been a MASSIVE personal challenge. I was born with the ‘directional’ segment of my brain missing. I honestly can’t tell my left from my right. It is not a joke.  wish it was. I even repeated Year 1. The only way I can tell is from a small freckle on my left hand. This does not always work. At 3am after a big night out…. this ‘freckle’ becomes a little hazy (I apologise to ALL the Sydney taxi drivers who have driven around in circles….).

I really do need to improve my directional abilities as I nearly ran my visually-impaired friend into a tree last week. Luckily she had an amazing sense of humour…..I on the other hand was mortified.. (I am now spontaneously ‘pop-quizzing’ myself every day; ‘Point left….Quick, turn right..”. I Do it waiting for my morning coffee. I do when driving my car. Practise makes perfect…right?!

Spending time with the members of Achillies, has made me realise how our culture is so visually dependent. We rely on our vision so heavily, that sometimes we ‘forget’ we have 4 other wonderful senses.

Each Sunday I am paired with a different visually-impaired friend. Each with their own story and experiences. It has honestly opened up my world. I am almost a little envious – they experience the world so differently…in a way people with full-sight will never understand. I just feel so lucky to be a part of this group so atleast I can get a glimpse into a world without sight.

Just this morning one of the members told me; “Nikita, it is so great being blind – my electric bill will always be lower than yours and every time I go on a date the girl is a 10/10”.

Who needs man-dates when I can have multiple (amazing) blind dates each Sunday morning?

My job working at an Architecture & Design publishing firm is centred around the visual. What is the colour scheme of the space? Are all the pieces of furniture compositionally-balanced? Is the lighting to harsh? It seems that we neglect our other senses in favour of sight.

We should also be asking; How did the space filter sounds? What did the texture of the finishes on the wall feel like? Did the openness of the space make you feel a certain way?

However, spaces have so much to offer our other senses. Weshould really be making a conscious effort to invite all our senses to experience a space to endeavour to have a ‘holistic’ experience.

Since volunteering at Achillies, I have definitely become more conscious of sound. I know this is a little strange, but the other day I even tried to have a shower with my eyes closed. It was a huge struggle….I ended up getting shampoo in my eyes and then burning myself with the hot water. But after I relaxed a little I began to experience the shower like I never ad before. I focused on the sound of the water to gauge it’s pressure. I focused on the feel of the water. I also focused on the sound of my beautiful voice singing “Can’t Hurry Love” (Jokes! Ok, maybe not joking…something has to get me through dude detox!). It was a real eye-opening experience (excuse, the pun!). You should give it a try….

Architectural acoustics contribute significantly to the enjoyment and function of a space. For example a hospital or university lecture theatre require sound to be absorbed, whilst a concert hall needs to be designed to accentuate the characteristics of the music or actors voices. In the workplace, unwanted noise can interfere with privacy, concentration and productivity. Acoustic panelling is an important feature of many building spaces. Acoustic Panels help control or eliminate sound waves from bouncing off hard surfaces. See below for a round up of some aesthetically pleasing and well-designed acoustic panels.