A Design Guide for Creating Adaptable, Inclusive Spaces
Neurodivergent individuals experience heightened sensitivities and unique emotional expressions that lead to discomfort, anxiety, and difficulty with emotional regulation.
There is a critical need to design adaptable, inclusive environments that accommodate the unique sensory needs and emotional experiences of neurodivergent individuals.
This research-driven project explores the emotional and sensory experiences of neurodivergent individuals to inform a comprehensive design guide for inclusive physical spaces that promote emotional well-being.
Reviewed existing literature, community forums, and expert articles to build a foundational understanding of how neurodivergent individuals experience and manage sensory input, regulate their emotions, and environmental stressors. This provided broad insights into common challenges and potential design considerations.
Conducted semi-structured interviews with neurodivergent individuals while observing their nonverbal cues and body language. By combining open-ended questions with real-time observations, I gathered candid insights into their daily coping strategies, sensory triggers, and how environment impacts emotional well-being.
Combined themes from research to identify overlapping patterns, validate user-reported pain points, and pinpoint critical design requirements. This synthesis laid the groundwork for the design guide, ensuring that recommended solutions emerged directly from users’ real-world experiences.
While my background in neuroscience and psychology, as well as my secondary research gave me a solid understanding of ADHD and Autism, I sought firsthand perspectives to inform how we can design more inclusive spaces. Conducting in-depth semi-structured interviews in person offered a nuanced look at daily emotional experiences.
10 students (ages 20–23) from diverse cultural backgrounds and genders.
Focused on ADHD and Autism, acknowledging the variability and high symptom overlap of these conditions.
Anxiety was the most frequently discussed and visibly expressed emotion among all participants. Designing for this emotion is particularly challenging for neurodivergent individuals, as their anxiety can be more intense and varied in expression compared to neurotypical individuals. The triggers for anxiety differ widely among individuals.
Despite this, I found a common stressor that induces feelings of anxiety in neurodivergent individuals: heightened sensitivity to people and the environment.
Participants exhibited a range of emotional expressions, from intense to masked, often disconnecting verbal and non-verbal cues.
All participants exhibited heightened emotional and physical sensitivity, which could be positive (e.g., deep empathy) or negative (e.g., sensory overload), affecting their response to sensory stimuli and external stressors.
The environment and social interactions heavily influenced emotional expression, often leading to emotional masking to fit in. This masking, while adaptive, often resulted in a diminished sense of self and internalized stress.
All participants used stimming (self-stimulatory) behaviors to manage stress and anxiety. While this coping mechanism is has the benefit of regulating the nervous system, certain stimming behaviors (e.g. picking) can be classified as a form of self-harm.
Lack of stimulation or silence caused discomfort and feelings of anxiety. Preference for some form of background noise was noted (e.g. white noise, music).
Sensory input from our surroundings significantly influences our emotions and behaviors. When that input becomes excessive, the brain struggles to allocate its limited cognitive resources, and overstimulation sets in.
Heightened sensitivity—a trait frequently observed in neurodivergent individuals—amplifies this effect. Greater reactivity to both external and internal stimuli can lead to elevated stress, anxiety, exhaustion, and other challenges.
For neurodivergent people, sensory overstimulation is rarely tied to a single trigger; rather, it stems from the way multiple inputs interact and accumulate. When visual, auditory, tactile, olfactory, and gustatory stimuli converge, they can quickly overwhelm the brain’s capacity to process information, resulting in sensory overload. Designing environments and experiences that anticipate and accommodate these sensitivities is therefore essential to creating a more inclusive, sensory-friendly world.
Because heightened sensitivity spans all five senses, everyday settings must address potential triggers across each sensory channel. Without such considerations, amplified perception can make routine stimuli feel intense, leaving individuals vulnerable to overload and emotional distress. Understanding and respecting these varied sensitivities is key to fostering well-being.
Everyday noises that others may not notice, like a ticking clock or distant conversations, can become overwhelming for highly sensitive people. In crowded or noisy environments, such as a busy restaurant or street, the constant auditory stimuli can quickly lead to sensory overload.
Visual overstimulation can occur when there’s an excess of visual stimuli in the environment. This can make it challenging for individuals to focus, especially those with ADHD/Autism, as they might notice and process even the smallest details in their surroundings. Bright lights, flashing screens, or cluttered and chaotic spaces can intensify this experience.
Strong scents, like perfumes, cleaning products, can be overpowering and distressing, contributing to sensory overload.
People with ADHD or autism may have specific tactile sensitivities. The sensation of certain fabrics, tight clothing, or uncomfortable textures can be extremely distressing, and wearing such materials can lead to sensory overload.
Sensory sensitivities can extend to taste as well. For neurodivergent individuals, the taste, texture, or even temperature of certain foods may be experienced more intensely.
While anyone can experience overstimulation, neurodivergent individuals are more susceptible, as are those with conditions such as sensory processing disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Thoughtful design that balances sensory input benefits these groups—and ultimately supports comfort and regulation for everyone.
Self-stimulatory behaviors, or stimming, are repetitive movements or actions commonly used by neurodivergent individuals to regulate sensory input and manage emotions. Stimming can take many forms, such as hand flapping, fidgeting with objects, rocking, repeating phrases, or tapping.
These behaviors often serve crucial functions: providing sensory reinforcement, helping regulate overwhelming input, and offering emotional relief during periods of anxiety or stress. However, certain forms of stimming — such as skin picking, head banging, or excessive chewing — can become harmful or disruptive.
Designing sensory-friendly environments helps encourage healthier forms of self-stimulation while minimizing reliance on potentially harmful behaviors. By offering supportive tools and experiences, we create better ways for individuals to fulfill their sensory needs.
Creating spaces that allow neurodivergent individuals to stimulate themselves in healthier ways — while also regulating themselves from overstimulation — is a crucial aspect of promoting well-being.
This design guide seeks to strike a balance: offering individuals access to sensory-friendly tools and environments that cater to their needs while minimizing emotional distress. At the same time, it nurtures the positive aspects of heightened sensitivity, allowing creativity, empathy, and deep emotional connections to flourish.
The purpose of this design guide is to enhance the well-being of individuals with heightened sensitivity by creating spaces and experiences that achieve emotional equilibrium — where individuals are neither overstimulated nor understimulated, but supported in their emotional and sensory journey.
Emotional equilibrium, as a design concept, can be defined as a state of balance, harmony, and well-being where an individual’s emotional state is neither overwhelmed by excessive stimulation nor deprived of necessary sensory input. In a state of emotional equilibrium, individuals experience a sense of calm, contentment, and mental stability, where they are neither overstimulated nor understimulated.
While emotional equilibrium itself may not be considered a traditional emotion, it is more of a mental and emotional state that results from achieving balance in various emotional and sensory aspects. It’s about creating a space and experience that helps individuals maintain their emotional balance and well-being.
This design guide will walk through various design elements, interactions, and journeys that can contribute to creating an environment that fosters this emotional equilibrium.
The personality or tone of voice for these sensory spaces should reflect a sense of inclusivity, empathy, and understanding. It should convey a message that everyone’s emotional needs are respected and valued. This tone is chosen to create a welcoming and non-judgmental atmosphere, especially for neurodivergent individuals. The design should communicate a message that acknowledges and celebrates the diversity of emotional experiences and the importance of finding emotional equilibrium.
Ensure that spaces are flexible and can be adapted to individual preferences. Some individuals may prefer open, well-lit areas, while others may need quieter, more enclosed spaces.
Although overstimulation is commonly faced by neurodivergent individuals, it is important to note the individual differences in sensory triggers. Some sensory experiences, such as particular textures, may be triggering for one neurodivergent individual yet have a calming effect on another.
Developing a sensory profile for each individual can address this issue in design. By taking note of each individual’s sensory preferences and aversions, this will allow you to customize sensory experiences to meet each user’s needs.
Involve neurodivergent individuals in the design process to ensure that the spaces and tools are truly accommodating and meet their sensory needs.
The principles of biophilic design offer the promise of transforming spaces into peaceful sanctuaries, particularly advantageous for neurodivergent individuals struggling with the effects of sensory overstimulation. This transformation is achieved through the incorporation of elements from and inspired by nature.
Natural environments have a positive impact not only on aiding physical stress recovery, but also on helping individuals recover from a disrupted emotional state. These elements have the power to mitigate the challenges of sensory overstimulation, ultimately resulting in a state of emotional equilibrium.
The visual, tactile, and olfactory experiences offered by the presence of plants induce relaxation, alleviate stress, and foster a sensory-rich environment that contributes to emotional well-being. The greenery present in these spaces harmonizes our senses, creating a balanced and peaceful atmosphere.
This connection between the human senses and nature within these spaces ultimately fosters a sense of emotional equilibrium.
To create a design that fosters emotional equilibrium, use a balanced color palette. Calming colors like soft blues, greens, and earthy tones can evoke a sense of tranquility, grounding, and stability in the space.
Biophilic design advocates for an abundance of natural light through the incorporation of expansive windows. This approach helps alleviate the distress caused by artificial lighting and mitigates sensory overload.
The gentle, natural light plays an important role in instilling serenity and tranquility within the environment.
Organic shapes, resembling (often symmetrical) patterns found in nature such as those in plants, animals, rocks, trees, flowers, and other natural elements like water and sand, provide a sense of peace and balance due to their inherent connection to nature. Their ability to establish this connection with the natural world also serves to connect individuals to their own innate nature, as humans are a part of the natural world.
The familiarity of organic shapes, which mirror the forms present in the human body, creates an emotional link, while simultaneously conveying feelings of tranquility, fluidity, and harmony.
Textures can include natural materials like wood, stone, or soft fabrics, providing tactile comfort.
Natural ventilation, the process of using outdoor air to cool and circulate indoor spaces, promotes a more breathable and harmonious atmosphere. It offers several benefits that can help with overstimulation, particularly for neurodivergent individuals.
Improved Air Quality
Promotes better indoor air quality by reducing the buildup of pollutants and enhancing the flow of fresh air. Clean air is essential for well-being, as poor air quality can lead to irritations and exacerbate sensory sensitivities in neurodivergent individuals.
Temperature Regulation
Helps maintain a comfortable indoor temperature, which is crucial for sensory comfort. Extremes in temperature, whether too hot or too cold, can be distressing for neurodivergent individuals. Natural ventilation provides a means to regulate the indoor climate and maintain a comfortable environment.
Reduces Noise
By relying on natural ventilation instead of mechanical systems, you can reduce noise levels in indoor spaces. This is particularly beneficial for those who are sensitive to auditory stimuli, as it helps create a quieter and more soothing environment.
Design soundscapes that cater to different auditory sensitivities. This might include soothing music, nature sounds, or even quiet zones with noise-cancelling features for those who need a break from auditory stimuli.
Panning music (music that pans from side to side) in particular can be highly beneficial for individuals with sensory processing issues. This type of music has the capacity to engage the entire neurodivergent brain, fostering better alignment between the mind and body.
Incorporating panning music can help fulfill the sensory needs the brains requires for optimal functioning. It can be particularly valuable for reducing anxiety among neurodivergent individuals. The gradual, smooth left-to-right panning motion induces relaxation, similar to Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR).
This gentle bilateral stimulation, whether delivered through audio, touch, or eye movements, has the potential to shift the mental state from fight-or-flight responses to a more restorative and calming state.
A significant percentage of neurodivergent individuals experience sensory integration disorders. These conditions can make everyday life challenging, causing discomfort or sensory overload when exposed to factors like noise, light, or physical contact.
Research has demonstrated that deep pressure therapy effectively alleviates these adverse effects and assists individuals in redirecting their attention to their own bodies, thus offering relief from sensory sensitivities.
Sensory integration chairs provide us with a heightened awareness of our body’s position in space, resulting in a deep sense of regulation and calmness. The compression experienced in these chairs can organize the mind, enhancing focus and concentration.
Movement-friendly furniture plays an important role in assisting individuals with sensory processing issues. These specialized pieces of furniture are designed to encourage and support movement, offering several benefits:
Sensory Regulation: Furniture like rocking chairs, hammocks, and swings provide gentle and rhythmic motion that can help individuals regulate their sensory input. The back-and-forth or swinging motion engages the vestibular system, contributing to balance and body awareness.
Stress Reduction: Movement-friendly furniture can have a calming effect on the nervous system. The repetitive and predictable movement can reduce stress and anxiety, helping individuals feel more at ease in their environment.
Self-Regulation: Individuals with heightened sensitivity can use these pieces to modulate their sensory experiences, shifting from overstimulation to a more comfortable state.
Enhanced Focus: Some neurodivergent individuals, such as those with ADHD, may find it easier to concentrate when engaging in gentle rocking or swinging. This movement helps direct their sensory attention, making it easier to focus on tasks.
Provide sensory interactions that individuals can use to self-regulate. This could include items like stress balls, fidget spinners, puzzles, art, or interfaces that provide various sensory inputs. By allowing users to have more control of their sensory experiences in a space, this can further balance their emotions and mental state.
Create calming sensory stations where individuals can find experiences like a zen water fountain or items such as weighted blankets, noise-cancelling headphones, and calming essential oils to help reduce sensory overload.
The journey towards achieving emotional equilibrium in these spaces should involve a progression from overstimulation to balance.
This journey may include designated zones that cater to varying sensory preferences, from quiet, low-stimulation areas for those feeling overwhelmed, to active and interactive zones for those seeking more sensory input.
Transition areas between these zones can provide a gradual shift in sensory experiences, allowing individuals to self-regulate as needed. Gradual transitions are effective in promoting emotional balance for neurodivergent individuals.
To guide individuals toward emotional equilibrium, create a journey within the designed space. Start with an entrance that signifies leaving behind the chaos of the outside world and entering a serene environment. Use transitional elements to gradually introduce sensory experiences. This journey can include areas for reflection, meditation, and relaxation.
Although my design guide is focused on applying my research to physical spaces, the next step is to explore how these concepts can be translated into the digital sphere and uncover the potential for digital products to enhance the design of inclusive physical spaces.
Diverse sensory needs require personalized solutions, and a digital product would streamline this personalization.
Check out my case study for a mobile sensory profile tool that adapts these design concepts into the digital realm.
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