Site - New Jersey

controversy of large spatial volumes has been talked about and the ways that this can promote

fear and anxiety within individuals with Autism, specifically with their understanding of the

human body in space. 75 There have been sensory sensitiveadvocates who strive for a small

spatial volume capacity as this space will help those with Autism feel secured and safe within

their surroundings. 76

Neuro-typical design approaches will sometimes mimic the design elements of a

“mainstream school” like Celebrate the Children School in New Jersey. While other schools have

tried to mimic a design that is more like the wider community at large. For example, the

Developmental Learning Center in Warren, New Jersey was designed as a “replica of a typical

American main street” that includes a bank, hardware store, barber shop, plant nursery, a diner,

manufacturing lab, a grocery store and a mock apartment layout. 77

Site - New Jersey

Statistics

The highest rates of Autism ever in the United States have been measured in New Jersey

preschoolers. This rate has “increased faster than in other states studied and the rate of Autism

among children there has tripled in a generation.” 78 One in 35 children under the age of four in

New Jersey were diagnosed with Autism, according to a study published by the Centers for

Disease Control (CDC) in 2019. There is a current, rigorous spike in diagnoses of Autism, and

the CDC has a recent study showing “about 1 in 44 children have been identified with Autism

74 Ibid. 75 Ibid. 76 Henry, Christopher N. “Designing for Autism: The 'Neuro-Typical' Approach.” ArchDaily, November 3, 2011. 77 Ibid. 78 Washburn, Lindy. “NJ Preschoolers Have Highest AutismRates Ever in US, but Garden State Also Best at Reporting.” North Jersey Media Group, April 12, 2019.

Autism rates rose from 1% of children born to 3%, and “Walter Zahorodony, an associate

professor at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School who directed the New Jersey portion of the

study” says this has no signs of showing a plateau, see Figure 2.6. 80

Figure 2.6

The location of this project is very important, while looking at the statistics of Autism in

New Jersey, Toms River has the highest percentage of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

in New Jersey (7.3 %) more than triple the national average. 81 It was found that 73 children per

1,000, (7.3 %) with 120 per thousand (12 %) prevalence among boys, were diagnosed with

Autism in this township. Toms River is the largest suburban school district, including lots of

residential areas and neighborhoods as well as existing schools. While the nearest Autism School

79 “Data & Statistics on Autism Spectrum Disorder.”Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, December 2, 2021. 80 Washburn, Lindy. “NJ Preschoolers Have Highest AutismRates Ever in US, but Garden State Also Best at Reporting.” North Jersey Media Group, April 12, 2019. 81 Wall, Karen. “Toms River's Autism Rate in Children Highest in NJ: Rutgers Study.” Toms River, NJ Patch. October 26, 2021.

the perfect “next-step” after a preschool environment. A Rutgers study stated that “we found that

mid-socioeconomic status communities, like Toms River, had the highest ASD rates, which was

contrary to expectation because in earlier U.S. studies ASD rates were highest in high-

socioeconomic status communities.” 82

The Westminster Nursery School, located at 1070 Hooper Ave in Toms River, New

Jersey is an existing preschool facility for children ages two through four. The building design is

very intricate, 2 floors and lots of outdoor opportunities. The site is in close proximity to several

neighborhoods and Locust St E with several restaurants, banks, cafes, stores, etc. The fact that it

is an existing preschool says a lot about the location, but will allow the opportunity to make

changes within the design to serve a wider range of children than the existing facility does, see

Figure 2.7.

Figure 2.7