Autism diagnoses are on the rise and part of the explanation is that society is making increasing demands on us and our brains. Autism is largely about how we perceive and interpret our surroundings, so there should be opportunities to support people with autism through thoughtful architecture to reduce stress levels and save energy. What is autism-friendly architecture and what might it look like? 

In this project, I have designed a service residence (a type of LSS accommodation) for adults diagnosed with autism. By reviewing relevant literature and reference projects on the topic, I have tried to find keys on how to design a home that can support a person with autism.

The overall objectives of the design are to reduce stress, enhance the individual's independence and support social interaction. The architectural aspects I have mainly worked on to achieve this are daylight, views, visual connections and boundaries and the organisation of the programme. Since people with autism have, among other symptoms, a different sensory experience often being hyper- or hypersensitivity to sensory input, an autism-friendly architecture is very much about designing for the senses. 

The conclusion is that accommodation suitable for a person with an autism diagnosis can suit most people. It’s more about avoiding certain things that may be experienced as disturbing in different ways by people with autism, rather than adding special features.