Date/Time: November 1, 2025 | 9:00 – 10:30 am

Room: 166-167

Audience: Architects, Engineers, Educators, Facility Personnel, Contractors / Suppliers / Manufacturers, Consultants

Call to Action:
Gain a general understanding of the psychology behind autism and sensory processing disorders and their impact on neurodivergent users in learning environments. Following the session, attendees will be empowered to implement the following practices in their projects:

• Integrate a Multi-Disciplinary Approach – Establish partnerships between designers, educators, and therapists to co-create environments that support neurodivergent students.
• Integrate Sensory Considerations Early in the Design Process – Assess how a project will engage the eight senses to foster supportive learning environments. Identify potential sensory challenges and opportunities, such as optimizing lighting for visual comfort, mitigating acoustics, and incorporating design elements that support tactile engagement.
• Design Landscapes and Play Environments for Sensory Engagement – Create adaptable outdoor areas that allow for both active and quiet sensory experiences. Incorporate elements that stimulate proprioceptive and vestibular senses, such as climbing structures, balance beams, swings, textured pathways, and interactive water or sand features. These elements help neurodivergent users regulate movement, build coordination, and feel more grounded in their environment.

Abstract: Creating inclusive learning environments that support neurodivergent students requires an understanding of sensory processing and its impact on daily experiences. This speaker panel will explore how architects, landscape designers, educators, and therapists can work together to design sensory-supportive spaces inspired by the concept of sensory diets. Sensory diets are structured plans that help individuals regulate sensory input, reduce sensory overload, and enhance focus, motor coordination, and self-regulation. Through an interdisciplinary discussion, panelists will address best design practices for both interior and outdoor spaces that accommodate a range of sensory needs. Using the framework of the eight senses—visual, acoustic, tactile, olfactory, gustatory, proprioception, vestibular, and interoception—this session will provide practical insights into creating environments that foster student learning, comfort, and engagement. Attendees will leave with a better understanding of sensory processing challenges, as well as actionable strategies to design spaces that promote sensory balance and well-being. The session speakers will illustrate these principles through a case study of their recent collaboration on a newly constructed classroom and occupational therapy building for Villa Esperanza Services in Pasadena, CA.

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand Sensory Processing and Sensory Diets – Gain a general understanding of sensory processing disorders, how they impact neurodivergent students in learning environments, and how sensory diets can help regulate sensory input for improved focus and self-regulation.
2. Explore Best Practices in Interior Design for Sensory Support – Learn strategies for designing indoor learning environments that minimize sensory overload, support sensory regulation, and promote comfort through lighting, acoustics, materials, spatial organization, and other key design elements.
3. Incorporate Sensory-Supportive Elements in Outdoor Learning Spaces – Discover how landscape architecture can contribute to sensory well-being through nature-based interventions, movement-friendly designs, and outdoor spaces that cater to different sensory needs, including proprioceptive and vestibular inputs.
4. Apply a Holistic, Multi-Disciplinary Approach to Design – Understand how collaboration between architects, educators, and therapists can lead to more effective learning environments, integrating sensory-friendly design principles that accommodate diverse neurodivergent needs.