DESIGNING FOR AUTISM SPECTRUM: TOWARDS INCLUDING AUTISTIC PEOPLE IN MAINSTREAM SCHOOLS

Abstract

This research aims to study the relation between architecture and autism, towards including autistic people in the mainstream schools along with their normally developing peers. The research focuses on studying autism spectrum disorder, the symptoms, and the users’ psychological and physiological needs. In addition, studying the spatial needs of autistic people and the impact of the architectural elements and design on them. The research mainly focuses on designing the learning environments for autistic people along with the design guidelines of the mainstream schools, in order to reach the optimal and most common design guideline to create an inclusive autism friendly environment able to host both autistic students along with their normally developing peers.