Why aren’t we building neuroinclusive spaces?

The introduction of PAS:6463 in 2022 should have been a watershed moment for neuro-inclusive design, but while the standard has gained traction in architectural circles, uptake has varied significantly by sector. Rebecca Jilks, Part 2 Architectural Assistant and an MArch graduate specialising in neuro-inclusive design, and Ross Pirie, our Eltham Studio Lead and Senior Architect, discuss the barriers faced by neurodivergent people interacting with the built environment, and how integrating neuroinclusivity from an early project stage can lead to better designs.

 

A row of bright shopfronts in a bustling high street with a busy café nearby. To some, this scene will evoke positive or neutral thoughts – for others, it represents a day of masking, overstimulation and anxiety as each sense becomes overwhelmed. This can be draining in itself, but to make matters worse, on many occasions there’s no escape.

This is the reality of many neurodivergent individuals, and it’s one that Rebecca Jilks, Part 2 Architectural Assistant at Baily Garner sought to cast a spotlight on with her final project in the Master of Architecture course at the University of Sheffield.

“I wanted to use my own lived experience and those of other neurodivergent individuals to really demonstrate how the built environment can impact our day-to-day lives,” she said. “There isn’t really much teaching in this area beyond what’s required to meet accessibility regulations, so I wanted to spread awareness around how Neurodivergent people interact with different spaces, and showcase some of the simple considerations that can make them more inclusive.”

Rebecca achieved this through her illustrated storybook Dede is Autistic, as well as her own architectural design for a neuroinclusive safe space in Sheffield City Centre, where Dede’s journey takes place.

The neuro-divergent experience

Although the scope of Rebecca’s project is mainly the experience of people with Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC), neurodivergence encompasses far more than that and the other commonly mentioned condition, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). What’s more, a growing body of evidence supports the idea that neurodivergence extends beyond formal diagnoses to include people with subclinical traits or undiagnosed differences in cognition, sensory processing, or behaviour. This means the oft-cited statistic that 15-20% of the world’s population is neurodivergent is likely a significant underestimate. Speaking on a podcast by Around the Table titled ‘Designing for All: Neuro-Architecture and inclusive space’, one of the leading practitioners in the field of neuroinclusive design and technical author of PAS:6463, Jean Hewitt, said she believes the true prevalence could be as high as 40%.

Rebecca uses Dede is Autistic to demonstrate some of the sensory processing differences of Autistic people, which broadly fall into the categories ‘hypersensitive’ and ‘hyposensitive’ – the former describes a low tolerance for certain stimuli, while the latter denotes the opposite. Although her project mostly focuses on hypersensitivity, with examples like a noisy bus ride with the pungent aroma of cheese and onion crisps filling up Dede’s sensory cup, profiles of hyper- and hyposensitivity can vary significantly from person to person.

“I’m hypersensitive to noise, so it can often feel like I’m hearing everything at once in a noisy environment, but for taste, I’m more hyposensitive, so I really like spice and food that’s really strong,” Rebecca says. “There’s also context to consider,” she adds. “My levels of sensitivity can really change throughout the day depending on how much downtime I’ve had and how relaxed I am.”

That last point hits on something important – levels of sensitivity can vary significantly depending on a range of factors, including mood, and that’s true for both neurodivergent and neurotypical people. During acute stress or anxiety, the nervous system becomes hyperactive, which can heighten external senses. During perimenopause and menopause, fluctuations and declines in oestrogen and progesterone can significantly affect how the brain processes sensory input. At the other end of the spectrum, adolescents going through puberty often have lower sensory thresholds, making ordinary stimuli feel overwhelming.

The salient fact behind this discussion is that while we should design spaces that are inclusive to Neurodivergent individuals, much like the way accessibility ramps are used by parents with strollers, incorporating neuro-inclusivity makes buildings less stressful and more enjoyable for everyone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Image: The Sensory Web – Sensory Street

 

What are the barriers to adopting neuroinclusive design?

The introduction of PAS:6463 in 2022 was a milestone for neuroinclusive design. The new standard provided those commissioning and carrying out work on the built environment with a 148-page guide to designing neuroinclusive spaces, but in the experience of Ross Pirie, Studio Lead and Senior Architect at Baily Garner, many clients just aren’t aware of it.

“The guidance was released fairly recently, so there aren’t many elements of the industry which are up to speed with it, and accessibility specialists still mainly focus on physical constraints,” he says. “The only clients we see with an understanding of this area are those with a vested interest due to the demographic they serve, like schools with a high number of students with SEN needs.”

Taken in conjunction with a general lack of understanding, the other barrier Ross believes is standing in the way of clients prioritising neuroinclusive design is the cost uplift associated with it. “Cost is practically the number one concern for clients across every scheme, and even more so in the public sector, where Baily Garner conducts most of its design work,” Ross adds.

How do we overcome barriers to adoption?

Both Rebecca and Ross agree that the most effective way to overcome cost as a barrier is to integrate neuro-inclusivity as a priority from the very start of the design process, much like our sector already does with sustainability.

They liken this to the way much of the industry includes sustainability ambitions within the briefing stage of a project, ensuring that they’re captured and costed early to avoid making expensive, last-minute changes closer to the start of construction.

“These can be really simple things like avoiding a dramatic sensory difference when transitioning from one environment to another. An example would be going from a quiet space in a school into a loud dining hall with lots of smells,” Rebecca adds.

“Having windows or transparent doors in place to give a preview of the next environment can prepare a Neurodivergent individual for that transition.”

This example hits on an important aspect of designing spaces around neurodivergence, and that’s the ability to maintain control while navigating a building. Alongside zoning, control as a design principle is the answer to the common question of how architects can design spaces for different neurodivergent needs, as Rebecca explains:

“Control is so important to allow people to shape their sensory experience based on how stimulated they are,” she says. “By creating zones that stimulate the senses to different degrees but making sure the transitions are predictable, we give neurodivergent individuals control over what they encounter.”

She adds that the principle of control can shape other elements too, like opting for dimmer switches over traditional lighting or including several seating options with a variety of materials and finishes.

Stakeholder engagement

While architectural designers like Rebecca are important for raising awareness of neuroinclusive design among client and design teams, she believes it’s critical to include as many Neurodivergent voices as possible in the conversation through targeted stakeholder engagement.

This isn’t as straightforward as it sounds however; in order to understand the needs of Neurodivergent building users, the process of engagement itself must be tailored so that events aren’t overwhelming to the senses like a busy afternoon in Sheffield City Centre.

Neuro-inclusive elements make designs better

Given how early we are in the journey to creating neuroinclusive spaces, sharing best practice will be key to crafting designs that create control, sanctuary and delight, and Rebecca is keen to emphasise that neither neuro-inclusivity, sustainability nor wellbeing should be considered in a vacuum.

“Connections to nature are calming both for stress and overstimulation, while temperature control has sustainability and sensory benefits,” she says. “Considering all these aspects together is just good design practice. We shouldn’t think of neuro-inclusivity as a problem to solve, but an opportunity to improve spaces.”

More understanding of the multitude of Neurodivergent needs can only lead to better designs, and it’s the job of studios like Baily Garner Architects to help clients understand how a seemingly insignificant change like a dimmable light can make a big difference to a significant portion of building users.

To learn more about how the built environment can impact Neurodivergent lives, read Rebecca’s storybook, ‘Dede is Autistic’