Designing Accommodation for Adults who have Autism

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Designing Accommodation for Adults who have Autism

• Presented By Nick Haake, NAS Cymru Area Manager
• 22.04.2008

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Workshop Objectives

• Things to consider when designing a property
• Useful design ideas based on our experiences so
  far

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NAS Cymru

• Orchard House - 10 bedded Residential Home
• Plas Newydd - 3 bedded Residential Home
• Longford Court - 19 bedded Residential Home
• Pale Road - 4 bedded Residential Home
• Rhyd Hir - 3 bedded Residential Home
• Ty Nant - 6 bedded Supported Living

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• What is a Home?

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• sometimes its like Im a wasp trapped in a jar
  I can see and hear the people all around me but
  every time I try to get into their world I just
  keep buzzing and bumping against the glass.
• Paul, 41, has Asperger Syndrome

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• Reality to an Autistic person is a confusing,
  interacting mass of events, people, places,
  sounds and sights. There seems to be no clear
  boundaries, order or meaning to anything. A
  large part of my lift is spent just trying to
  work out the pattern behind everything. Set
  routines, times, particular routes and rituals
  all help to get order into an unbearable chaotic
  life.

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The right Property should make it easier to ..

• Reduce Anxiety
• Enhance motivation, confidence and self esteem
• Reduce behaviours which inhibit progress or
  impair quality of life
• Enhance concentration/remove distraction
• Play to strengths/likes
• Keep people safe

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Key Considerations

• Vision and Values
• Have a clear Brief (cost, key features)
• Autism
• Who are you designing for?
• Get the right Architect
• Team work (Project Management, Partnering)

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Planning Features
Compulsions and obsessions
Known Likes/Dislikes
Living Space
Challenging Behaviour Risks
Phobias
Hypersensitivity
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• Sensory Sensitivity in any form can make it
  difficult to concentrate, to trust, at attending
  to things other than the source of
  hypersensitivity or join in or to relax. If the
  discomfort or distraction is extreme enough, they
  can distract from the ability to learn.
• Donna Williams

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Sensory Hypersensitivity

• Distress with Sound
• Sensitivity to light
• Discomfort with Textures
• Insecurity with Heights
• Insecurity with Movement/Proximity
• Clutter
• Temperature Issues

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The Brief

• Develop a Home for five individuals who have
  Autism, learning disabilities and very complex
  needs, providing self contained flats and shared
  accommodation in the same property.
• Consider the Pen Pictures
• What would you build into your design

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Ty Mynydd
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3 Self-Contained Flats plus 2 Single On suites
(Shared Living)
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Ty Mynydd
G R O U N D F L O O R
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Ty Mynydd
G R O U N D F L O O R
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Design Features

• Self contained individual design flats with their
  own lounge/bed area, kitchen with dining area and
  bath/shower room.
• Floor area 51m(2) which permits flexible usage
  and potential for conversion to Welsh Assembly
  Government flat units
• Communal accommodation to include lounge, dining
  room, kitchen, quiet rooms to Ground and First
  Floors, utility room with sluices
• Open circulation areas with curved walls, thus
  omitting all 90 corners

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Design Features Contd.

• Electro magnetic free swing door closers
• Thermal and acoustic laminated double glazed
  performance windows
• Glazing to suit special light transmissions and
  reflectance
• Internal sandwiched solar control glazing blinds
  which also provide privacy and temperature
  control
• Fully secure scheme perimeter boundary to South
  Wales Police secured as standard, semi defendable
  zone around parking area
• Bath/shower room fully concealed pipe work and
  services with fully tiled walls and level access
  shower tray where indicated.

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Design Features Contd.

• Purpose built robust and durable kitchen units
  and fitted wardrobes
• Substantial levels of sound reduction built into
  proposals from sustainable natural resource
• Extensive provision of natural light with wide
  circulation areas with high ceiling levels, to
  include double glazing and sunpipes
• Internal colour scheme to NAS recommendations,
  colours and tonal contract with lighting to
  assist sensory impairment
• Integrated fire alarm/emergency lighting
  installations where fitting appearances matches
  normal domestic appearance
• Robust electrical switches and sockets with
  secure screw fixing with domestic appearance with
  low energy domestic light fittings

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Design Features Contd.

• Energy management under floor heating
  installations. Efficient boilers heating sources
  with weather compensated controls.
• Internal building environments with air comfort
  cooling installation to include continuous
  background air movement throughout the whole
  scheme, coolant effect during high temperature
  periods.
• External and flat entrance door alarm system with
  sounder in staff accommodation flat. Provision
  of personal alarms. A warden call system and
  movement sensors also included.
• The gardens fully landscaped and will contain
  features that are appropriate for the client
  group. These features will include a secure
  boundary, raised flower beds and areas to
  stimulate and clients senses, jacuzzi.

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Ty Mynydd Front Elevation
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Ty Mynydd Right Side Elevation
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Ty Mynydd Left Side Elevation
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TY NANT
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TY NANT Typical Flat Layout
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TY NANT
G R O UN D F L O O R
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TY NANT
F I R ST F L O O R