A modulation of senses
Description
For many years, physicians and the greater population saw Autism Spectrum Disorder as a behavioral syndrome. But what physicians have proved in recent decades is that autism is a wide spectrum disorder foremost affecting the senses. Autistic individuals have difficulty distinguishing relevant from irrelevant stimuli due to the fact that their brain is unable to organize sensation into meaning and concept. They cannot "break" the whole picture into relevant parts. It is a known fact that not much investigation and research has gone into the support of adults with autism. Government funding goes into the education and therapy of children with autism, but after the age of 18, adults with autism often end up in isolation, in the care of their families, or in mental institutions. Furthermore, physicians tend to disagree with the current lifestyles residential communities put forth for those living in them. The goal of this thesis is to design and develop a "kit of parts" or installation-like spaces that will be ad ted into a residential living community for the increase in quality of life for autistic individuals. With sensory spaces fixed into the architecture of the residential living community, hopefully the residents' lives will improve and they will gain independence.