How Can Public Space Be Designed for the Neurodiverse Community?

"The noise of overlapping conversations, the flashing lights of a billboard, hurried footsteps on the sidewalk, and the constant hammering of a nearby construction site: public spaces are sometimes experienced as environments where stimuli accumulate and often overwhelm us. Each person perceives and responds to these sensory inputs differently, and recognizing neurodiversity means understanding that some individuals require more time to adapt, slower-paced journeys, or more gradual interactions with their surroundings."

"To establish a point of reference, it is essential to note that the concept of neurodiversity emerged in the 1990s, marking a shift away from views centered on deficit or pathology toward a framework that acknowledges diverse ways of thinking and experiencing the world. This perspective challenged the assumptions under which most built spaces are conceived, generally designed around an "average user" whose responses are assumed to be linear and predictable."

Everyday urban stimuli—overlapping conversations, billboard lights, hurried footsteps, and nearby construction—can accumulate and overwhelm some people. Individuals perceive and respond to sensory inputs differently, with some requiring more time to adapt, slower-paced journeys, or more gradual interactions with surroundings. The concept of neurodiversity emerged in the 1990s, shifting away from deficit- or pathology-centered views toward recognition of diverse ways of thinking and experiencing the world. That shift challenges the assumption that built spaces should be designed around an "average user" whose responses are linear and predictable. Contemporary public space design must address how to accommodate diverse perceptual and temporal needs so spaces can embrace all ways of experiencing them.

Read at ArchDaily