How can the architectural design of residential care facilities in the UK be improved to make them more suitable for older autistic people?

The UK is fast approaching a social care crisis regarding older autistic people. The design of geriatric residential care facilities may be unsuitable and inaccessible to autistic people, preventing them from accessing age-related social care when needed. This research project aims to highlight the architectural design needs and preferences of autistic people, and how those needs and preferences may compare to existing gerontological design best practice, through a social model of disability lens.

This project used a grounded theory approach, and quantitative and qualitative data was collected via online survey. Quantitative data was described and tested for statistical significance when relevant, and qualitative data was analysed thematically, with the data coded at a semantic level through the lens of critical realism.

The results of this project indicate that autistic people’s sensory needs are dynamic and heterogeneous, making the common recommendation of designing sensory neutral spaces impossible. The results also show that autistic people desire their buildings to enable them to live independently and authentically, with large private domains and no forced socialisation. Instead, authentic autistic socialisation should be enabled and celebrated. This project also highlights the need to take an intersectional approach when designing for autistic people, due to a variety of common co-occurring identities, conditions, disabilities, and challenges. This project shows that autistic people, regardless of age or diagnostic status, should be considered the primary experts in the architectural design needs of autistic people, and that non-autistic social care and building design professionals may not have an accurate view of autistic people’s architectural needs and preferences.

These findings indicate the need for future research to include active autistic participation, and for design approaches to shift from a deficit-based approach to one that celebrates and enables autistic authenticity.