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Architecture and Autism

gonzerd

Stranger
V.I.P Member
I'm still 'without home' these day (I don't want to say homeless, because that gives the impression I'm living out on the streets or something, and I'm not.) which is severely limiting my executive functioning, so I'll try to keep it short, because I can't otherwise. It feels like one of those subjects that has a great influence on how we live our lives, yet I can't seem to find much discussion about it, so here we go.

What are your thoughts on architecture, on the way homes are designed, on interior design? Not sustainability or so-wise, but as an autistic. We do have specific needs, so it does make sense that we also have specific needs when it comes to the homes we live in.

As I mentioned, I'm a bit too wacky right now to write a whole analysis of my own feelings regarding the subject, just want to set off the discussion. I've basically lived in warehouse disguised as a row house for the past 7 years and it is quite difficult to find something new again now. Before I lived in a flat, which was perhaps much nicer, but only 'pretty picture' nicer, nice to the outside world. Friends tend to ask me, or urge me, to get something like that again, but I can't, much to their inability to understand. The reason is simple though: I can't live in such a place. The constant bustle of people around me, above me, under me, next to me, is just too much it's crippling. I rarely felt alive there, usually just tippy toeing around, trying not to make too much noise and being on the guard whenever I'd have to go out, so I wouldn't have to bump into anyone, or god forbid, share the elevator. There were times I somehow managed to forget about that, but it was rare, so it's not like I can't do those things, but it can be nerve-racking, and nerve-racking isn't what a home should be...

Anyway, as I said, just want to get the discussion going; can't really make sense of it all right now myself, and if I tried, it would lead me too far.

I did come across this blog Design for Autistics just now (the link will take you to the architecture related posts, so click on for more) which seems interesting. More things to say about stuff written there, but yeah, I'll leave it at that for now.
 
This is largely about institutional architecture, but here are some interesting links from a favorite website (special interest warning):

http://www.archdaily.com/tag/architecture-for-autism

http://www.archdaily.com/177293/designing-for-autism-lighting

http://www.archdaily.com/181402/designing-for-autism-the-neuro-typical-approach

http://www.archdaily.com/446972/sweetwater-spectrum-community-lms-architects

There are more on this site, but these are ones that I have read.

Interesting topic. As I think back on my widely varying housing experience, I can only think of one place that I felt comfortable in. It was a small apartment building, two floors and six apartments, most of the residents were adults in their 30's or 40's. I was on the first floor. It was on a quiet residential street in a rather affluent part of town. Trees, grass, low noise, pleasant lighting. The Harley guy down the street even kept the motor low until he was a few blocks away before he let it rip.

I had a lot of other experiences that were as you stated, me creeping around, trying to make myself unheard, unseen while all around were people seeming to not care how much their activities impinged upon the general peace and tranquility. Even had one warehouse studio space arrangement that was real chaotic. I had built a room within the larger space (14 foot ceilings) so I had a refuge and a buffer from the hallways and neighboring spaces. But there was comings and goings at all hours, a noisy bar on the street level, and we technically were not supposed to live there, but there was a don't ask don't tell detente with the housing and fire departments.

What did me in and make me decide to buy a house was when the space next door was occupied by a guy who was really off his rocker on drugs. He had two Rottweilers that were quite aggressive, played his obscene music at all times, and painted the most gruesome and awful paintings. Due to numerous complaints, he was kicked out after a couple of months, and he trashed the place before leaving.

After that, I decided I needed more control over my own space.
 
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I honestly try not to think about such things. As a renter I have no real control over my immediate environment internally or externally for a number of reasons. And to think of some the things I've done in desperation to alleviate things...

Even picking a specific location based on cursory observations is never a guarantee that a new, noisy neighbor will spoil it all.

For many of us, I suspect this kind of dynamic amounts to one perpetual sense of hell. At the moment I'm enormously thankful that the only thing I'm really having to deal with is a neighbor next door who always slams their door. And a neighbor below me who is seldom even there.
 
My wife and I live in a standard house (3 bdrm, 2 bath) in a subdivision. We really do not need this big of a house, but almost all houses here are some version of this house. For me, the problem is the subdivision, not the house. We have neighbors on ether side, behind and right across the street from us. There are people everywhere and all of the time. I would much rather live in a rural area. The more rural, the better. However, my wife does not feel the same. She is very social (she is a NT) and is friendly with the neighborhood ladies. So I just try to remind myself that things could be a lot worse and be thankful for what I have. It is a give and take life and we all have to give a little. Happy wife, happy life.
 
I'm still 'without home' these day (I don't want to say homeless, because that gives the impression I'm living out on the streets or something, and I'm not.) which is severely limiting my executive functioning, so I'll try to keep it short, because I can't otherwise. It feels like one of those subjects that has a great influence on how we live our lives, yet I can't seem to find much discussion about it, so here we go.

What are your thoughts on architecture, on the way homes are designed, on interior design? Not sustainability or so-wise, but as an autistic. We do have specific needs, so it does make sense that we also have specific needs when it comes to the homes we live in.

As I mentioned, I'm a bit too wacky right now to write a whole analysis of my own feelings regarding the subject, just want to set off the discussion. I've basically lived in warehouse disguised as a row house for the past 7 years and it is quite difficult to find something new again now. Before I lived in a flat, which was perhaps much nicer, but only 'pretty picture' nicer, nice to the outside world. Friends tend to ask me, or urge me, to get something like that again, but I can't, much to their inability to understand. The reason is simple though: I can't live in such a place. The constant bustle of people around me, above me, under me, next to me, is just too much it's crippling. I rarely felt alive there, usually just tippy toeing around, trying not to make too much noise and being on the guard whenever I'd have to go out, so I wouldn't have to bump into anyone, or god forbid, share the elevator. There were times I somehow managed to forget about that, but it was rare, so it's not like I can't do those things, but it can be nerve-racking, and nerve-racking isn't what a home should be...

Anyway, as I said, just want to get the discussion going; can't really make sense of it all right now myself, and if I tried, it would lead me too far.

I did come across this blog Design for Autistics just now (the link will take you to the architecture related posts, so click on for more) which seems interesting. More things to say about stuff written there, but yeah, I'll leave it at that for now.
I need to be in a place where I am not tip toe-ing around, as you said. Otherwise, I shut down into myself and pretty much stop functioning much at all. I just become a mess. I can't be myself, unless I can stop the intake from others, unless it is a person who I live with and I totally trust. Even with that situation, the architecture must allow for separate spaces when needed.
Small homes are better than large. Although, I like having a lot of height to the ceiling. Air and light are important, although I have to be able to close the blinds or curtains.
p.s. gonzerd hope you find the right place to be soon.
 
Wow, an amazing place!

Gorgeous, isn't it? Oh, to have money, time, and the resources of a builder. Kind of a modernist Gaudi structure.

As I thought about this, the room I built in my studio space was a bit like what I dreamed a house would be. I designed it to be a sanctuary within a workspace, in a large old warehouse building with many other creative enterprises going on within. Four levels spiraled up off a central beam; small kitchen, an office-like level, a sitting platform, then a sleeping platform. It was surrounded by 3 walls with windows I found at an architectural salvage yard, or made myself, with other furniture I made or refinished. I climbed up it like a monkey, but I built some stair-like bookcases so the cat could get up and down. The fourth wall was the existing waist high to ceiling exterior windows.
 
Gorgeous, isn't it? Oh, to have money, time, and the resources of a builder. Kind of a modernist Gaudi structure.

As I thought about this, the room I built in my studio space was a bit like what I dreamed a house would be. I designed it to be a sanctuary within a workspace, in a large old warehouse building with many other creative enterprises going on within. Four levels spiraled up off a central beam; small kitchen, an office-like level, a sitting platform, then a sleeping platform. It was surrounded by 3 walls with windows I found at an architectural salvage yard, or made myself, with other furniture I made or refinished. I climbed up it like a monkey, but I built some stair-like bookcases so the cat could get up and down. The fourth wall was the existing waist high to ceiling exterior windows.

If I can I will make a small room someday, but this Corbero dwelling and garden is stunning. It would effect all of one's feelings probably especially the buried mysterious ones where creativity picks up its flavors.

Your studio and sanctuary sounds aspie-ideal - how could you (ever) leave such a place.
 
It was, cheap, lots of freedom, oddballs always around if you wanted to socialize. But it couldn't last.

While on a two month West coast bike and hike tour, I had a dream that I returned to find the building being converted to condos and what was left of my stuff, some shoes and an old wooden ladder, were sitting out on the sidewalk. As I stated in an earlier post, the place was getting a little chaotic and it was unsettling, so I decided to buy a house. A year or so later, they kicked everyone out and started converting it to condos.
 
Dreams are useful.
I have always felt, and I realize it's subjective, that Place and the right Space can heal me.

The wrong place can tear one up.

A journey(s) to find those places can be extremely satisfying and a compulsion.
 
I'm still 'without home' these day (I don't want to say homeless, because that gives the impression I'm living out on the streets or something, and I'm not.) which is severely limiting my executive functioning, so I'll try to keep it short, because I can't otherwise. It feels like one of those subjects that has a great influence on how we live our lives, yet I can't seem to find much discussion about it, so here we go.

What are your thoughts on architecture, on the way homes are designed, on interior design? Not sustainability or so-wise, but as an autistic. We do have specific needs, so it does make sense that we also have specific needs when it comes to the homes we live in.

As I mentioned, I'm a bit too wacky right now to write a whole analysis of my own feelings regarding the subject, just want to set off the discussion. I've basically lived in warehouse disguised as a row house for the past 7 years and it is quite difficult to find something new again now. Before I lived in a flat, which was perhaps much nicer, but only 'pretty picture' nicer, nice to the outside world. Friends tend to ask me, or urge me, to get something like that again, but I can't, much to their inability to understand. The reason is simple though: I can't live in such a place. The constant bustle of people around me, above me, under me, next to me, is just too much it's crippling. I rarely felt alive there, usually just tippy toeing around, trying not to make too much noise and being on the guard whenever I'd have to go out, so I wouldn't have to bump into anyone, or god forbid, share the elevator. There were times I somehow managed to forget about that, but it was rare, so it's not like I can't do those things, but it can be nerve-racking, and nerve-racking isn't what a home should be...

Anyway, as I said, just want to get the discussion going; can't really make sense of it all right now myself, and if I tried, it would lead me too far.

I did come across this blog Design for Autistics just now (the link will take you to the architecture related posts, so click on for more) which seems interesting. More things to say about stuff written there, but yeah, I'll leave it at that for now.
I can fully appreciate what you are saying, next door neighbours banging doors, light switches clicking on and off, it does my head in.
My perfect house would be a detached eco house with reasonable green space around it, trees but also a good sea view. The house would have to have lots of windows and away from road noise. The only stumbling block is that in the UK that would cost big bucks!
 

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