During the beginning of my degree, I have noticed that industry focuses on two things only; functionality and aesthetics. Although both of them are important, the social aspect is just as important too! So I started to explore how colours, layouts, different types of materials can affect the psychology of individuals. I believe that we all should feel included and never feel out of place! So I conducted surveys with parents and teachers of different levels of children with autism and learning disabilities to understand their characteristics and what aspects sensitise them in the public, educational and private environments in which the research has concluded that noise, public service announcements, bright lights, bright colours, complex layouts of spaces, lack of routine, and open-plan spaces can trigger their anxiety, increase their sensitivities and decrease their concentration. The paper has also discovered that this type of population is significantly discarded in the built environment when they can be affected the most! As mentioned earlier, I am a firm believer in inclusivity and I don't think that specific places should be designed for them, for example, special schools and specifically designed houses since this will create a cocoon and can increase the anxiety in other public spaces. However, designing everyday public spaces that would suit everybody is a great solution.

You can download the dissertation or read it entirely through Research Gate here.

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Image credits: Rand Jasim

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The Influence of Interior Design on Children with Autism and Learning Disabilities.