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Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorder and Designing Spaces That Support It

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is often described in broad terms, but in practice it represents a wide range of experiences, sensitivities and strengths. Autism used to be divided into 5 sub-types, but in 2013 they were merged and the phrase "spectrum" was added to the diagnosis. There aren't many ways autism manifests physically, meaning it’s rare to identify autism based on outward appearance alone. Autism can look like… For designers, clinicians, and facility leaders, this variability makes one thing clear: environments must be flexible, predictable and supportive of different sensory and behavioral needs. Through the thoughtful use of furniture and...