Traditional accessibility standards overlook the sensory and cognitive needs of neurodiverse individuals. This session will explore how Johnston Architects is partnering with healthcare professionals and neurodiverse communities to reimagine public space through a lens of empathy, evidence, and inclusion.
By combining trauma-informed design strategies with participatory research, the firm is developing scalable design guidelines aimed at influencing future ADA standards. Join us to learn how local engagement can drive systemic change—and how architects can collaborate across disciplines to create spaces that are both compliant and truly welcoming for all brains and bodies.
Learning Objectives
- Discuss key sensory, cognitive, and social challenges that neurodiverse individuals face in public environments along with why these are often unaddressed by current ADA standards.
- Evaluate how to apply trauma-informed and universal design principles to improve mental well-being, reduce sensory distress, and support neuroinclusion in architectural spaces.
- Explore effective strategies for integrating community-led and interdisciplinary input, including clinical and lived-experience expertise, into the architectural design process.
- Find out how to apply scalable design recommendations and spatial planning techniques that enhance the health, safety, and welfare of neurodiverse users across libraries, parks, transit centers, and other public typologies.