The document discusses housing considerations for people with autism. It explores how to develop a design brief that meets the complex needs of individuals on the autism spectrum. Key aspects to address include reducing anxiety, enhancing motivation and safety, and accommodating sensory processing issues, compulsions, hypersensitivities and known likes/dislikes. A case study project is described that incorporates these design priorities through features like secure landscaping, robust fittings, personalized equipment, and control of light, noise and distractions.

1. Housing Considerations for People with
Autism
Helen Leigh
NickHaake
Andrew Hole

2. Objectives
• To explore how to develop a design brief for
an individual who has complex needs

3. The Triad of Impairments
Wing and Gould 1979
SOCIAL BEHAVIOURSOCIAL BEHAVIOUR
Sensory
processing
problems
AnxietyRituals and
compulsions
COMMUNICATIONCOMMUNICATION
IMAGINATIONIMAGINATION
PersonalityLearning disability

4. Designing the Right Environment
• Reduce anxiety- low arousal settings.
• Enhance motivation, confidence and self esteem
• Reduce behaviours which inhibit progress or impair
quality of life
• Enhance concentration/ remove distraction
• Bespoke design meeting individual needs
• Keep people safe by providing safe environments

5. Planning Features
Compulsions
and
obsessions
Compulsions
and
obsessions
Known
Likes/Dislikes
Known
Likes/Dislikes
Challenging
Behaviour &
Risks
Challenging
Behaviour &
Risks
HypersensitivityHypersensitivity
PhobiasPhobias
Living
Space
Living
Space

6. Case Study
S

7. WORKSHOPSESSION
• 2 new building dwellings of 5no. Apartments with
shared accommodation and communal
accommodation including lounge, dining room,
kitchen, activity room, utility room and W.C.
• Covered verandah to front and rear of buildings.
• Accommodation to DDA Standard, fully compliant with
current Building Regulation requirements.
• Heavy duty doors and linings.
• Free swing door closers.
• Building fabric insulation above current building
regulation standards from sustainable natural
resources.
• Extensive provision of natural light with triple glazing
and sun pipes.
• Solar water heating panels.
• Staff accommodation with en-suite shower room
facilities.
• The gardens are fully landscaped and contain features
that are appropriate for the client group. These
features include a secure boundary, flower beds and
areas to stimulate the clients’ senses
• External finishes assist access awareness providing a
fully accessible building
• Fully secure scheme to South Wales Police Secured
by Design Standards.

8. WORKSHOPSESSION
ST
KITCHEN
ACTIVITY ROOM
KITCHEN
LOUNGE/
DINING
ST
ST
BATH
BEDROOM
BEDROOM
BATH
W.C
KITCHEN
ST
LOUNGE
UTILITY
ST ST
ST
ST KITCHEN
DINING ROOM
HALLWAY
LOUNGE/
DINING
STAIRS
VERANDAH
VERANDAH
W.C
Ground FloorPlan
(Plot 1)
• High internal space and volume standards.
• Principle rooms have double aspect windows.
• Thermal and acoustic laminated double glazed
performance windows, which also reduce glare.
• Glazing to suit special light transmissions and
reflectance.
• Internal sandwiched solar control glazing blinds which
also provide privacy.
• Enhanced U-Values to all thermal elements.
• Excellent Air Tightness Values (4.7 – 4.8) far
exceeding the Building Regulation Requirement
(<10.0).
• Integrated fire alarm/emergency lighting installations
where fitting appearance matches normal domestic
appearance.
• Substantial levels of sound reduction built into
proposals from sustainable natural resource
• Energy management under floor heating installations.
Efficient boilers heating source with weather
compensated controls.
• Internal building environment with continuous
background air movement throughout the whole
scheme.
• Installation of shut off controls to individual flats.
• Staff accommodation with en-suite shower room
facilities.

9. Some ideas
• Separate accommodation
• Robust
• Personalised equipment
• Water sensors
• Place for staff stuff / storage
• Lighting issues

10. Ideas continued
• Behaviours
– How
– Space
• Windows
– Light
– Sunshield film
– Blinds
• Noise
– acoustic issues
• Controls into kitchen
– Robust fittings
– drainage