DOES DESIGN MATTER?
Fischer: Inclusive design is always a winning decision
By?Staff?| Jan 27, 2022
Design matters. This from a minimalist who could live in a one-room box as long as it had indoor plumbing, an internet connection and heat. However, I realize that not everyone experiences the same environment in the same way. The way in which our space and environment are filled use each one of our five senses, and as such, design can have a definite impact on an outcome.
A few years ago, I had the opportunity to watch my niece’s 2-year-old son. Since my own children won’t seem to reproduce for me, I jumped at the chance to spend a (limited) amount of time with someone else’s adorable (realizing most toddlers are only adorable when the time spent together is limited) toddler. She brought him over, handed him to me, along with a diaper bag, and told me she would be back in a couple of hours. I assured her there was no need to worry. I got this.
Although it had been some time since my own children were this age, I certainly didn’t remember them being capable of reading the word “Bistro” written upon a sign in block letters in my kitchen. In fact, rather than playing with the myriad of toys I had set up for his entertainment, he wanted to simply hold the sign and read it over and over. When I tried to take the sign from him, he threw one of the biggest rubber-legged fits I have seen. I gave it back to him and took him over to the pile of toys, which he promptly started throwing and then sat down and screamed. Turns out, I did not “have” this after all.
My niece’s son is autistic. The way he experiences his environment is not at all the same way I do. Colors, lights, sounds and textures that are nearly innocuous to me can be forceful obstacles to his comfort and progress. Although we cannot control much of our environment outside of our homes, we can design our spaces at home the way we want. One more appealing advantage to homeownership (of course, says the person who sells homes for a living).
领英推荐
Inclusive design is certainly not a new concept. The idea of designing spaces with accessibility for people with disabilities has been around for decades, yet autism has been largely overlooked. Perhaps because there is such a large and complex spectrum of people with autism. In fact, it has been said by some advocates, “When you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism.”
There are, however, some elements of design that could benefit autistic individuals across the spectrum. Since hypersensitivity to sensory inputs are paramount, reduction of stimulation seems to be the standard place to start. Yet this is not true for everyone with autism. Some people actually need more stimuli, although specific to the individual, to be comfortable. That is why the home is one of the only places this can be uniquely addressed. When professional designer AJ Paron-Wildes’ son was diagnosed with autism, she coined the term “design empathy,” and went to work doing exactly that. Not only in her home, but in schools and workplaces.
When designing with empathy, certain factors should be considered which include noise levels of background sounds or music, odors or smells (while the smell of reheated french fries may be pleasant for some, not everyone relishes the essence), lighting (specifically of the fluorescent and flickering nature), temperature and air flow, colors and patterns, and textures of surfaces, fabrics and flooring. Those are just a few ideas to provide some odorless food for thought. According to Paron-Wildes, “When you design for autism, the general population benefits.” After all, who couldn’t use a little less stimulus in their lives?
As for my niece’s son, he just turned 10 and he is beautiful, unique, brilliant and a gift to all of us who love him.
Jen Fischer is an associate broker and Realtor. She can be reached at 801-645-2134 or [email protected].