Assignment Research
Designing living environments for adults with autism
- Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder
- Affects the way people communicate and relate to the people and world around them
- Can display unusual reactions to sensory input
- Everyday experiences tend to be unbearable
Findings from research housing design, sensory preferences and garden design
- Independence – increases self esteem
- Social interaction – provide a variety of spaces allowing people to engage in social activities on their own accord.
- Access – allowing access to the entire building/space = ownership and freedom
- Evolution – ability to respond to changing circumstances and needs
Triggers
- Sensation - sensory overload
o Low arousal environments
o Appropriate lighting
o Acoustics low
o Minimal colour and material
- Perception
o Clear sensory cues – can help people orientate themselves (physically and Socially)
o Rooms can be seen from other rooms – predictability – provide choice
- Withdrawal
o Offer private spaces - can retreat when overwhelmed
o Communal areas
- Empowerment
o Private spaces that can be personalised
o Can calibrate4 the level of sensory stimulation
Robustness
- Safety
o Minimise risk
o Use materials and technologies for this
- Durability
o Materials to reduce impact of constant use and active behaviour
- Ease of maintenance & tolerance
o Ability to last
o Doesn’t need to be frequently cleaned
Support tools
- Communication
o Visual tools for non-verbal communication
o Increase reciprocal communication
o Embedded communication about how the space should be used
Sensory Preferences
- Need to consider everything
o Colour of the walls
o Feel of the sofa
o Lighting
o Smells
o Sounds
o Breeze
Kid smart spaces
Plants in spaces
- Improve grades
- Improve performance
- Lower feeling of discomfort
- Improves concentration
- Improve memory retention by up to 20%
Teaching and learning environments
- Learning spaces shouldn’t have lots of fixed furniture – allowing the customisability of the space
- Close proximity to break spaces – allowing an escape for people in distress
- Need to be able to change room temperature quickly and frequently depending on requirements and people in the space
- Lighting – natural lighting Is preferable
- Placement of windows can cause distraction
- Control over lighting allows for a more customisable space
- Minimising glare is important
- Sensory gardens – planting areas – hard and soft landscaping
- Bright colours tend to overstimulate – pastel and neutral is best
- Colours can be used as visual aids – marking routes, hazards, directions etc
Effective building practises for children and students with learning disabilities
Universal design facilitates access and optimises participation
- Addresses – physical, sensory and cognitive needs of all people
Findings
- Tables need to be able to fit a wheel chair underneath
- The noise of hand dryers effects people with autism
- Don’t use high tech (difficult) technology in the kitchen
Need for flexibility within the design
- Tailored and adapted as needed
- Facilitate access and optimise participation
- Flexible learning spaces
- Need quiet spaces
- Furniture that can be reconfigured
- Less restricted spaces, freedom, natural lighting, lower noise, less clutter = better behaviour
Tactile ground surface indicators (TGIS) that can be detected underfoot assist safe navigation of a space
- Colour contrasts to make certain features stand out
- Accessible signage
o Minimum of 18 size font
o Concise
o Tactile
o Braille
o Appropriate height for all user
- Directional design features
o Colours
o Texture
o Symbols
o Promote independence
o Tightly weaved carpet – adhesive fixed for reading & wheelchair can access
o High ceilings for interactive activities
o Low ceilings for calm activities
- Direction hints
o Footprints on floor
o Snakelike pathways
o Handrails
Building materials
- Doors need to be easy to use – light, standard width
- Inclusion of solid contrasting strips on any glazed door
- Range of flooring that is function regardless of mobility – easily cleaned
Participation
- Noise minimising
o Noise absorption walls
o Don’t echo
- Good blinds
o Block sun glare
Accommodations
- Various heights at reception counter
- Furniture does not impede on mobility of space circulation
- Large reception area – calming, natural lighting
Connectivity of the space
- Circular design rather then angular design
o Promotes interaction and sense of community
Calming and stimulating sensory learning spaces
- Sensory rooms – used to recover or Avoid sensory overload
o Features include: mirror ball, hammocks, ball pool
o Absence of windows
Design features around sensory needs
- Minimisation of noise
o Use of acoustic absorption
§ Materials of walls and ceilings
§ Pin up boards for displays
§ Sound proofing
§ Music to signal change
§ Paper hand rails instead of dryers
- Awareness of all noise
o Fridges
o Fans
o Air-conditioners
- Minimise colours and patterns
o Colours should be used as visual cues
- Provide quiet areas
- Provision of fresh air and natural lighting (sky lights & windows)
Choice is provided by things that are designed to be flexible, adaptable and provide alternative means of use and multiple interfaces (Universal design.com accessed 2015).
Inclusion by design
From access to inclusion
“Sustainable and socially cohesive communities are built on the bonds that unite rather than the differences that separate.”
Problem to solution: Inclusive design
- Access with dignity – getting into spaces and using them
- Treatment with respect – how people are dealt with
- Relevant services – does the space give the person the sense that they have a right to be there?
- Convenience – used with undue effort
- Welcoming – make them feel they belong
- Accommodate - without fuss or exception
“offer choice when a single design solution cannot meet all users’ needs”
The Principles of inclusive design
The way places are designed affects our ability to move, see, hear and communicate
- Enabling everyone to participate equally
- Identify barriers to inclusion - design to overcome them
- Offer choice where the solution cannot accommodate all users
- Spaces need to be able to adapt to changing demands
- Easy and enjoyable to use
o Intellectual and emotional access
Emotional intelligence in design: the skills of empathy
Empathy, intuition and creativity.
“Emotional intelligence theorizes that people have the capacity to reason about emotions and emotional information. “
- Self-awareness
- Self-regulation
- Motivation
- Empathy
- Social skills
- View the space in the clients/users shoes
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