Photo courtesy of Robert Benson
last detail: architectural leader
INCLUSIVE DESIGN
The new Young Classroom at Smith College in Northampton, Mass., was thoughtfully designed for the needs and preferences of both neurodiverse and neurotypical students. Students have the option to select a quieter alternate learning space while still being a part of the larger class and/or conversation.
Michael Tyre, aia, is President-Elect of Amenta Emma Architects in Hartford, Conn.
Embracing Neurodiversity Designed by Amenta Emma Architects, Smith College’s Young Classroom is one of the first to blend classroom design for neurodiverse learners with mainstream students. Amenta Emma Architects has always prioritized inclusive design for its academic and workplace projects, so when Smith College asked the firm to design classroom spaces for The Young Library that would cater to neurodiverse students, the architects were excited to take a deep dive into the needs of this population. “This project really ignited our research, understanding and ultimately design approach,” said the firm’s President-Elect Michael Tyre, aia.
“The neurodiversity movement promotes these differences not as deficits, but rather as normal and potentially valuable variations on the way brains work.” -Michael Tyre, aia
The architects learned that neurodiverse individuals with some form of autism, adhd, dyslexia or other cognitive diagnosis comprise between 15% and 20% of people. “The neurodiversity movement promotes these differences not as deficits, but rather as normal and potentially valuable variations on the way brains work,” he explains. While there were very few neuro-inclusive architectural case studies to reference, the team tapped into the research and discussion on neurodiversity in higher education, which provided insights on things to stay away from and strategies for creating
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ARCHITECTURAL PRODUCTS
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environments where neurodiverse students can thrive. For example, sensory distraction, which can be created by visual contrast, reflectivity, noise, and large crowds should be avoided. On the other hand, employing the agency of choice, strong wayfinding, and good acoustics are important for this population. Translating these insights into the physical environment of this project, Amenta Emma Architects made sure to incorporate features like assorted seating arrangements, occupant control for lighting, and a subtle palette of materials to identify zones and support wayfinding. By interviewing neurodiverse students, the architects learned that introducing too much flexibility and ways to change classroom configurations could actually be jarring and unsettling. This led to the development of what Tyre’s team calls “fixed variation,” to balance flexibility with predictability. For this project, the fixed variation solution provided traditional tables and chairs for the main academic space. Break out and peripheral areas offered students a greater degree of choice and flexibility. The entire classroom design is supported with AV technology and screens, so if a neurodiverse student selects a peripheral area on any given day, he/she can still participate with the larger group, but in a
less distracting, more comfortable space. Tyre notes that many of the strategies benefitting neurodiverse populations rarely present any conflicts for neurotypical students. Does neurodiverse design cost more? Tyre doesn’t think so. “Mitigating distractions through simple design choices involving color palettes, patterns and reflectivity add no cost at all. Controlling background noise and glare through additional acoustics and lighting controls adds marginal costs,” he states. “Offering personal choice can simply be done through furniture selection, by providing an array of seating and desk types and locations.” Because there is no established formula for designing these types of educational spaces, The Young Classroom is now serving as somewhat of a prototype as educational institutions seek to understand how neurodiverse students can thrive amongst mainstream populations. “I have shared this case study with numerous colleges and universities, spoke about the project at several higher education planning conferences and received requests from others to meet to discuss how they may apply some of the principles we’ve outlined in their upcoming projects,” said Tyre. —Barbara Horwitz-Bennett, contributing writer
11-12 . 2024
12/5/24 2:40 PM
2412AR