Designing Autism-Friendly Spaces

Architectural Design expert AJ Paron-Wildes shows us how she designs spaces for optimum comfort and sensory needs of children and adults with Autism.
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Autism Live is a production of the Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD), headquartered in Woodland Hills, California, and with offices throughout, the United States and around the globe. For more information on therapy for autism and other related disorders, visit the CARD website at centerforautism.com

[@theautisticpage]

Wow an Mom that actually bothers to lookmat things from our persepctive. A rare gem.

[@WordingWolf]

As an Autistic Avocate, I wonder: does she ever bring in Autistic adults to provide feedback??? Nothing for us without us!

[@christinab.2864]

I think it’s a two way answer 1). Why would someone including myself want to be on a show on KZbin and get a lot opinions; and it’s now positive. 2). Again including they not always able to go to these and if they could there’s always caregivers doing the talking.

[@AutismLive]

We feature Autistic Advocates all the time.

[@kpaxian6044]

I am adult on the spectrum with severe sensory overwhelm issues. Mine center around light most of all. Bright lights and bright colours give me migraines and I even have a history of seizures. I have a range of lights in my apartment. I usually keep the lights low and have brighter lights at a greater distance from me. I do better with skylights and sunlight provided it is filtered softly. But not like...LEDs or halogens. So I think for many on the spectrum that I know...lights are a big one. Dimmable bulbs and having areas that are darker work best for many. I also do not like too many bright colours. I can deal better with bright colours in small doses when the colours are muted and only seem brighter if the overall area is darker. But if I get too much light especially from halogens...it makes me very woozy and dizzy and ups my anxiety. I am also very sensitive to textures. That seems very stereotypical but it is true. I break out in hives with any wool, even cashmere so I own nothing made with wool or anything that is scratchy. I do like really good scents. I will seek them out. But scents are personal. I am not big on florals or powdery scents. I like things like mild spicy scents or sandalwood. I actually keep a packet of pumpkin spice tea in a sealable bag that I can sniff when I am in a "scent free area" so it does not bug others. Or a halo peppermint rollerball to smell. Best of luck to building more sensory friendly places!

[@JamieHumeCreative]

I'm light sensitive, but love to be outside in nature. It;s perfect when the branches of the trees form a high canopy and the light dances gently through. I hate that I can;t see the Sunrise or Sunset from where I live. The worst lights are the haash ones in retail store ad schools for me and I also dim my lighting at home and have blackout drapes. I love natural materials like pure cottons usually, I could easily sleep in a room painted black with a nice wool through rug and candles. A simple low bed. No, not a vampire. Just nice textures, scents of real plants and oils from those plants, beeswax, wood, wool, cotton, hemp, bamboo. All the cheep and easy to get stuff.

[@florenciadjoedesign]

Thank you for your comment. I love to hear what is really people in spectrum talk about their reaction to them.

[@fastertrackcreative]

I'm high-functioning so closer to a neurotypical but I find very plain environments cold and depressing often. I love historical architecture with the details.

[@JamieHumeCreative]

This is lovely, but it completely over looks so called High Functioning ND adults with Autism and ADHD that are also Autistic. We need safe, stable ND friendly housing that we won;t loose when we have are bouncing from job to job or piecing together erratic incomes from things like the arts and cottage industries. The stress is not helping us be as productive as we can be let along happy. The noises where I live and the cost of living are having huge mental impacts on me. Our demographic has a massively high rate of suicide. Providing us with the opportunity to have ND friendly affordable housing that more of us can access might actually lower that suicide rate. You don''t talk about us because we look like we made it into mainstream...but did we? I have a University degree and no, I don;t feel like i've been successful or included or that I am well and safe. I now have meds for my ADHD which are life savers, but wont be able to afford them soon. We all are equally Autistic. We need help too. We could be so much more than we are being allowed to be.

[@fastertrackcreative]

It does tend to feel like when we reach adulthood we're pretty much on our own. I find dealing with things like banking very stressful.

[@JustJC5]

In all honesty, as an autistic myself, I find these designs pretty dull, cold, and boring. Yes, pastel colors are very soothing, but it’s not just about the colors of rooms, it’s also the furniture and architecture that provide some brain stimulation, in my opinion. This may just be me, but I have always felt calmer and more stimulated when I am around geometric patterns and designs; I LOVE 20th century architecture and designs (50s-90s are my favorites). It’s really a subjective topic though because design is an art of course, and art is a subjective field. The rooms described in the video kinda just look like average rooms to me, and somewhere I wouldn’t want to spend a lot of time in - if any. Hopefully my perspective can provide some helpful insight To add: I think a big part of making a neuroaffirming space is dependent on the lighting. I know a lot of autistics can’t stand bright lighting, like fluorescents. I personally love darker spaces with warmer tone lighting. I think lighting should be a consideration taken before deciding on the color of paint because all paint looks different in different shades of light.