Download - special needs architecture
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The center is located in a newly developed suburb of greater Cairo,
Egypt, as part of New in the Qattameya district
The total plot is approximately 42 m2 ! 4", 2# sft$ with a
permissible footprint of %& or '2 m2 !'2,(') sft$
*aximum allowable height is '% m or % stories,
creating a maximum built+up area %) m2 !%#," sft$ above ground-
.or cost+e/ciency purposes these areas have been maximi0ed toaccommodate as many students as possible-
full+time educational services to students,
1art+time support and supervision to at least " others-
Acoustics:
s mentioned previously, a preliminary exploratory survey of '
parents and primary caregivers of children with utism 3pectrum
isorder !3$ ran5ed acoustics as the most infuential eature othe sensory environment upon autistic behavior-
.urther empirical research has shown that by reducing noise levels and
echo in educational spaces for children with autism, their attention
spans, response times and behavioral temperament, as measured by
instances of self+stimulatory behavior, are all improved-
This improvement reached in some instances a tripling of attention
span, a )& decrease in response time and a )& decrease in
instances of self+stimulatory behavior !*ostafa,2#$- This criterion proposes that the acoustical environment be controlled to
minimi0e bac5ground noise, echo and reverberation within spaces used
by individuals with 3-
The level of such acoustical control should vary according to the level
of focus re6uired in the activity at hand within the space, as well as the
s5ill level and conse6uently severity of the autism of its users-
.or example, activities of higher focus, or according to 3ensory esign
Theory, those ta5ing place in 7low stimulus 0ones8, should be alloweda higher level of acoustical control to 5eep bac5ground noise, echo and
reverberation to a minimum-
lso provisions should be made for di9erent levels of acoustical control
in various rooms, so students can 7graduate8 from one level of
acoustical control to the next, slowly moving towards a typical
environment in order to avoid the 7greenhouse8 e9ect !*ostafa, 2#$-
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2. Spatial Sequencing
This criterion is based on the concept of capitali0ing on the a/nity of
individuals with autism to routine and predictability-
Coupled with the criterion of 3ensory :oning, which will be discussed
shortly, 3patial 3e6uencing re6uires that areas be organi0ed in a
logical order, based on the typical scheduled use of such spaces- 3paces should ;ow as seamlessly as possible from one activity to the
next through one+way circulation whenever possible, with minimal
disruption and distraction, using Transition :ones-
%- Escape Space
The ob
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"- Transition Zones
>or5ing to facilitate both 3patial 3e6uencing and 3ensory :oning, the
presence of transition 0ones helps the user recalibrate their senses as
they move from one level of stimulus to the next-
3uch 0ones can ta5e on a variety of forms
a distinct node that indicates a shift in circulation to a full sensory
room that allows the user to re+calibrate their sensory stimulation level
before transitioning from an area of high+stimulus to one of low+
stimulus-
)- Sensory Zoning
This criterion proposes that when designing for autism, spaces should
be organi0ed in accordance to their sensory 6uality, rather than the
typical architectural approach of functional 0oning-
?rouping spaces according to their allowable stimulus level, spaces are
organi0ed into 0ones of 7high+stimulus8 and 7low stimulus8-
The former could include areas re6uiring high alertness and physical
activity such as physical therapy and gross motor s5ill building spaces-
The latter could include spaces for speech therapy, computer s5ills and
libraries-
Transition 0ones are used to shift from one 0one to the next-
-Saety
point never to be overloo5ed when designing learning environments,
safety is even more of a concern for children with autism who may
have an altered sense of their environment-
.ittings to protect from hot water and an avoidance of sharp edges and
corners are examples of some of these considerations-
AC!"TECT#A$ %&'A(:
A)ministration
Central dministration,
@eception rea,
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ccounts,
Aoard of irectors
*aculty A)ministration
.aculty o/ces and services
3chool director,
Clinical director,
@egistrar o/ces,
Teacher trainingB .aculty
conference room,
.aculty lounge with wor5stations
*ain resource library
Assessment an) +iagnostic Centre
>aiting area for parents and applicants
iagnostic room e6uipped with aBv,
bservation room,
Conference room,
iagnostic center
directorDs o/ceB visiting
specialist
,. E)ucational an) Therapy Centre
Core Educational 3paces
Class bases !'$,
bservation rooms,
ne to one instructional spaces
3hared resource rooms and teacher prep areas,
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3torage
Therapy Spaces
3peech and language therapy !)$ with ad
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1roduce outlet
Ausiness and Computer center,
Aa5ery outlet
Community %articipation Spaces
*ulti+purpose ssembly hall
Ancillary Services
Aathrooms
Hitchens !including life s5ills 5itchen in model home$
Electromechanical 3ervices
"- Assiste) $iving Centre
1rivate single and double student bedrooms with en suite bathrooms !(
housing (+')
3tudents$,
3upervisor bedrooms with en suite bathrooms !%$,
?roup living room and wor5space !' per ;oorI %$, Hitchenette !' per ;oorI
%$,
*edical coordinatorJs o/ce !'$,
@esidence managerJs o/ce !'$,
.amily room and group lounge ad
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The utism 31ECT33K esign Lndex presents design criteriaBissues that
have been indicated, through interviews, focus groups, surveys and
experimental research, to be facilitative of positive behavior and s5ill
development in users with autism-
These criteria areM
coustics
3patial se6uencing
Escape spaces
Compartmentali0ation
Transition spaces
3ensory 0oning
3afety
These criteria form the basis for both a design matrix, which can helpdevelop design solutions for speci=c pro
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perfect and calm environment, only to fall apart and lose all their s5ills
when they were confronted with the real world- >ith the index, to
combat this greenhouse e9ect, L propose a gradual weaning+o9 from
the strict application of the fullest manifestation of the criteria,
allowing the users with autism to gradually generali0e their newly
ac6uired s5ills in less+controlled environments-