“THE WORLD NEEDS ALL TYPES OF MINDS.”
- TEMPLE GRANDIN
- TEMPLE GRANDIN
Autism (ASD) is a term to describe a range of neurodevelopmental disorders, which are usually identified through “challenges in communication, language, and social interaction, along with specific repetitive behaviors and patterns” . (Whitehouse et al., 2018, p.2-3). The condition of autism is lifelong that currently could not be cured. The proportion of people with autism is significantly rising due to the increasing awareness and updates to the diagnostic criteria in recent years(“Autism spectrum disorders”, 2021, p.4). Consequently, there is not enough Autism-friendly design in the current housing market to meet the increasing demands and no guidelines to cater to the specific needs. Therefore this project aims to promote an inclusive and friendly long-stay living mode for families with autism, from spatial configuration and sensory experience, to help develop cognitive regulation skills and build social interactions. Furthermore, the model is also a rethinking of home for people with disabilities and for working from home in the post covid era.
This project is located in Hoppers Crossing, with 6 townhouses to form a village, for multi-generation families with autism, elders, people with mental and physical disability. The model will provide safe and inviting community space linking the backyards of each townhouses, as well as flexible settings to meet the individual needs through the time, with professional carers lives inside the community to provide different levels of support from 24/7 to drop in support according to their needs.
PRIMARY USER
ANNA
Age: 8
Characteristic:Anna is an introverted and quiet girl. She loves animals, has a pet rabbit. She was diagnosed with autism at age 4. She is hypersensitive to loud sounds and bright colour. She goes to a mainstream
school as a second-year primary school student. She doesn’t like direct physical contact and being observed. She is a visual thinker; she memorizes everything with images.
She is obsessive about art, painting, and creating things. Drawing repetitive patterns helps her recover after overwhelming and meltdown.
She wants to have neighbors with autism to engage with them sometimes and seek to have
neurotypical friends, but she often does not communicate well with others. Currently, Sister and pet rabbit are her best friends, while she wants to invite her classmates home.
She wants a garden with good views of nature. She likes to talk to mom about their plants; she likes to observe the sky & clouds and observe people.
Age: 8
Characteristic:Anna is an introverted and quiet girl. She loves animals, has a pet rabbit. She was diagnosed with autism at age 4. She is hypersensitive to loud sounds and bright colour. She goes to a mainstream
school as a second-year primary school student. She doesn’t like direct physical contact and being observed. She is a visual thinker; she memorizes everything with images.
She is obsessive about art, painting, and creating things. Drawing repetitive patterns helps her recover after overwhelming and meltdown.
She wants to have neighbors with autism to engage with them sometimes and seek to have
neurotypical friends, but she often does not communicate well with others. Currently, Sister and pet rabbit are her best friends, while she wants to invite her classmates home.
She wants a garden with good views of nature. She likes to talk to mom about their plants; she likes to observe the sky & clouds and observe people.
SECONDARY USERS
FATHER
40 years old
He is a manager at an Advertising company. He works full time to support the family. He likes jogging, often goes jogging in the evening after work. He also likes to cook, often cook dinner for the family and teach the two girls how to make meals on the weekends.
40 years old
He is a manager at an Advertising company. He works full time to support the family. He likes jogging, often goes jogging in the evening after work. He also likes to cook, often cook dinner for the family and teach the two girls how to make meals on the weekends.
MOTHER
40 years old
She was part-time working at hospital, but changed her career after Annawas diagnosed, as she need more
flexible time to look after Anna. Her background helped a bit to understand her daughter’s needs. She began to
write and share her experience on the Autism Association website, hope to meet and help more parents like her.
She likes growing plants.
40 years old
She was part-time working at hospital, but changed her career after Annawas diagnosed, as she need more
flexible time to look after Anna. Her background helped a bit to understand her daughter’s needs. She began to
write and share her experience on the Autism Association website, hope to meet and help more parents like her.
She likes growing plants.
SISTER
11 years old
She is extroversive, often talks a lot, and is easy to make friends at school. She is tough and independent, cares
about Anna a lot whenever outside or at home. She loves reading novels and playing piano in her free time.
Sometimes she feels a bit ignored by her parents.
11 years old
She is extroversive, often talks a lot, and is easy to make friends at school. She is tough and independent, cares
about Anna a lot whenever outside or at home. She loves reading novels and playing piano in her free time.
Sometimes she feels a bit ignored by her parents.
PET RABBIT
3 years old
white, fluffy, lively, jumps & runs a lot, always company Anna and calms her down when she’s overwhelming.
3 years old
white, fluffy, lively, jumps & runs a lot, always company Anna and calms her down when she’s overwhelming.
From left to right, it would be a gradual transition from public to private, from noisy to calm, and from light to dim.
And there would be a narrow sensory zone for Anna after she enters from outside to help her calm down, and it is also used as her paint room. The space is double-height, with a trampoline net on the first floor and connects to Anna’s bedroom. So she could directly go back to her comfort zone after staying and painting in the therapy room. The two floors both have looped circulation for pacing behaviors.
And there would be a narrow sensory zone for Anna after she enters from outside to help her calm down, and it is also used as her paint room. The space is double-height, with a trampoline net on the first floor and connects to Anna’s bedroom. So she could directly go back to her comfort zone after staying and painting in the therapy room. The two floors both have looped circulation for pacing behaviors.
The space arrangements are designed based on the children’s sensory experience with autism and the daily schedule. The townhouse will have 2 floors, with the ground floor for wheelchair access. There would be 2 entries, the front entry links to the community space and the back entry for private access. In front of the community entry, outdoor seating benches are arranged into the house’s exterior wall to encourage the opportunity for communication. In addition, there would be a 2 square meter porch for changing shoes and storage, which also works as a transition zone. The living, kitchen, and dining would be an open-plan arrangement, with bedrooms closer to the private backyard.
