Autism and Building Design - Research Survey

[Craigmc23]

Hello, I am a Master's student studying Architectural Design in the UK and I was diagnosed with ASD around one year ago. As a result of this, I have spent my final year of study looking at the way in which the design of buildings affects autistic users. I am currently looking for participants to take part in a short online survey as part of a wider investigation looking at the relationship between the design of workplaces and the low employment rate among autistic adults. (All responses to the survey will remain anonymous throughout).

For this reason, I am only looking for participants who have been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) / Asperger's Syndrome, are aged 18 or over and have been employed at some stage in their life. If you do not fit within this criteria then please do not take this survey. If you do fit within this criteria then more information can be found on the introduction page of the survey, the link for which can be found below;

Space for the Spectrum: Investigating the lack of autism-inclusive architecture in user work-spaces

Thank you for reading this post and if you can spare a few minutes to complete this survey it would be much appreciated.

 

[Magna]

I got halfway through and had to stop because I was confused. In the list of workplace design or function items you want participants to indicate which items on the list are "important" to them. The first on the list is fluorescent lighting. Fluorescent lighting is the opposite of important to me. I dislike it immensely. When I think of something that's important to me I think of things that I need, desire strongly, etc.

I would love to help a fellow autistic person out and yes, I'm professionally diagnosed.

 

[Craigmc23]

I got halfway through and had to stop because I was confused. In the list of workplace design or function items you want participants to indicate which items on the list are "important" to them. The first on the list is fluorescent lighting. Fluorescent lighting is the opposite of important to me. I dislike it immensely. When I think of something that's important to me I think of things that I need, desire strongly, etc.

I would love to help a fellow autistic person out and yes, I'm professionally diagnosed.

Hi, thanks for letting me know this. The list appears in a random order each time you complete the survey so it's not necessarily that the item at the top is the most or least important. The question is really trying to find out what design considerations you feel are most worthwhile implementing/addressing in work spaces if you had to choose between 3 and 5 at most. Hope that helps explain it better but let me know if you're still unsure.

 

[Magna]

Hi, thanks for letting me know this. The list appears in a random order each time you complete the survey so it's not necessarily that the item at the top is the most or least important. The question is really trying to find out what design considerations you feel are most worthwhile implementing/addressing in work spaces if you had to choose between 3 and 5 at most. Hope that helps explain it better but let me know if you're still unsure.

I don't mean to be a pain, but I'm very literal including language. Perhaps it's a difference between the usage and meanings of the word "important" in the UK vs. the U.S.? I would not want to answer that fluorescent lights are "important" (ie a thing that I want, like, need, etc) when for me the opposite is true and wish that they were not in the workplace and in public places in general.

 

[Stuttermabolur]

I don't mean to be a pain, but I'm very literal including language. Perhaps it's a difference between the usage and meanings of the word "important" in the UK vs. the U.S.? I would not want to answer that fluorescent lights are "important" (ie a thing that I want, like, need, etc) when for me the opposite is true and wish that they were not in the workplace and in public places in general.

Perhaps that means you should not indicate that fluorescent lights are important to you.

 

[Magna]

Perhaps that means you should not indicate that fluorescent lights are important to you.

To confirm, @Craigmc23: Does "important" in your survey = good, desirable, necessary, valued, etc? In other words, for someone who dislikes and has negative issues with fluorescent lights, should they omit checking the box for fluorescent lights?

It's a commonality among many autistic people to have negative issues with fluorescent lighting which is why I'm confused by the survey in that regard.

 

[Bolletje]

Done!

 

[Bolletje]

To confirm, @Craigmc23: Does "important" in your survey = good, desirable, necessary, valued, etc?

No, as I understood it, it means that this is a part of building design that affects you a lot, either in a positive or negative way. And then in the next field you can describe why you chose this.

For example, if fluorescent lighting bothers you, you select “important”. If you like fluorescent lighting and want it in an office, you also select “important”. If you don’t care about fluorescent lighting either way and the presence of it doesn’t affect you, you don’t tick the box and move to the next subject.

 

[Rasputin]

Done!

 

[Alaric593]

Hello, I am a Master's student studying Architectural Design in the UK and I was diagnosed with ASD around one year ago. As a result of this, I have spent my final year of study looking at the way in which the design of buildings affects autistic users. I am currently looking for participants to take part in a short online survey as part of a wider investigation looking at the relationship between the design of workplaces and the low employment rate among autistic adults. (All responses to the survey will remain anonymous throughout).

For this reason, I am only looking for participants who have been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) / Asperger's Syndrome, are aged 18 or over and have been employed at some stage in their life. If you do not fit within this criteria then please do not take this survey. If you do fit within this criteria then more information can be found on the introduction page of the survey, the link for which can be found below;

Space for the Spectrum: Investigating the lack of autism-inclusive architecture in user work-spaces

Thank you for reading this post and if you can spare a few minutes to complete this survey it would be much appreciated.

I'll take it and can tell you right now, brutalist, mid century modern and post modern architecture makes me ill.

Classical and Neoclassical are the most aesthetically pleasing to me.

 

[Magna]

No, as I understood it, it means that this is a part of building design that affects you a lot, either in a positive or negative way. And then in the next field you can describe why you chose this.

For example, if fluorescent lighting bothers you, you select “important”. If you like fluorescent lighting and want it in an office, you also select “important”. If you don’t care about fluorescent lighting either way and the presence of it doesn’t affect you, you don’t tick the box and move to the next subject.

Thank you for your interpretation. I think I understand it now. I wasn't thinking that "important" can mean important that you DO have something and it can also mean important that you DON'T have something.

 

[VictorR]

Done - and appreciate that it was straight forward.

 

[Alexej]

I was able to address my specific understanding of the factors in the questionnaire.

(also I went to Strathclyde many years ago)

 

[Magna]

Done.

 

[Tom]

Everything would be fine if workspaces were just built with big legos.

 

[Bolletje]

Everything would be fine if workspaces were just built with big legos.

I was terrible at Lego buildings though. They had many holes and fell over.

 

[Tom]

I was terrible at Lego buildings though. They had many holes and fell over.

You can take classes online to learn if you want.

And I also recommend a visit to Legoland in Denmark

You're probably tired of coursework but at least there isn't a residency requirement.

 

[Tom]

I was terrible at Lego buildings though. They had many holes and fell over.

Or on the other hand just get a snow shovel and make a path to a clearing and set up shop.

 

[Bolletje]

Or on the other hand just get a snow shovel and make a path to a clearing and set up shop.

View attachment 80817

I could make a fortune reselling debris from buildings I constructed shoddily in the first place. Brilliant scheme!

 

[Stella lange]

Done