DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING

GAUTAM BUDDHA UNIVERSITY

GREATER NOIDA
UTTAR PRADESH

THESIS REPORT

CENTER FOR AUTISTIC CHILDREN

AN ARCHITECTURAL INTERVENTION

UNDERTAKEN BY:
VRINDA TOMAR
BACHELOR OF ARCHITECTURE
V YEAR
ENROLLMENT NO.: 14/AR/035

SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT FOR THE DEGREE

OF BACHELOR OF ARCHITECTURE
BATCH- 2014-19
ABSTRACT
Centre for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) estimates that approximately 1 in
every 88 children are diagnosed with some level of Autism, a sharp jump from the
previous numbers released in late 2009. In the case of facilities for children with
Autism, the line between healthcare environment and educational environment
becomes blurred. Recent research has shown that the educational environments
have a profound effect on learning and performance among autistic children .Many
design solutions that target autistic individuals have been introduced for
implementation in both mainstream and special education classrooms, however, only
few of these design approaches have been tested via research. If classrooms and
learning environments are not designed to accommodate students with
developmental disabilities, it can be assumed that they will not learn essential skills
and may struggle to live in our society .

INTRODUCTION

WHAT IS AUTISM ?
“Autism is a severe disorder of communication, socialisation and flexibility in thinking
and behaviour, which involves a different way of processing information and of
seeing the world.”

In 1943, Leo Kanner ,an Austrian-American psychiatrist, physician, and social

activist , coined the term ‘early infantile autism’ to describe children with unusual
behaviour patterns that had been present from early childhood. His original paper
gave detailed descriptions highlighting extreme autism, obsessiveness, and good
relationships with objects, a desire for sameness, stereotypy and echolalia. Autism is
characterized by a ‘triad of impairments ' The triad represents three broad and
interacting aspects of Autism, all of which will be inconsistent with the individual
chronological age.

AIM

The aim of this thesis is to design a center for autistic children so as to create an
enabling environment comprising of learning spaces, rehabilitation center and
accommodation.

OBJECTIVE
 o To identify their deficits and understand the role played by architectural
elements in their intervention.
o To understand environmental implications for teaching strategies used for
children with autism in educational spaces.
o To address the enabling aspects of environment that might improve
functional performance of children with autism in educational spaces and
rehabilitation spaces. For example- Visual Character, Spatial sequencing and
its quality, Escape areas, Clutter free spaces, Colour, Texture, Materials,
Acoustics etc.,.
o To address their needs and design accommodation based on their
behavioural aspects, cultural and social aspects.
o To critically review the relevant theories and implement the learning in the
design of the project.
o To understand the impact of existing structures on the intervention of autistic
children.

NEED OF THE PROJECT

Centres for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) estimates that approximately 1 in
every 88 children are diagnosed with some level of autism, (one in 54 boys) a sharp
jump from the previous numbers released in late 2009, and frighteningly distant rate
from one in 10,000 cases seen in the 1980s.

Experts estimate that every 2-6 children out of every 1000 have Autism. The
prevalence rate of autism in India is 1 in 250 (figure may vary as many cases are not
diagnosed) and currently 10 million people are suffering in India. The government
only recognized the disorder in 2001, till 1980s, there were reports that Autism didn't
exist in India .These alarming rates of increase call for attention by all the fields and
clearly architecture has been ignoring the effect of built environment in their
development.

SCOPE

Studying the mind-set of autistic in itself is a very vast subject hence this topic limits
itself to the study and research of their behavioural aspects in educational
environments and environments which help them in rehabilitation. It attempts to
define quiet spaces, intervention areas, open spaces, transition spaces, circulation
spaces, multi-sensory areas and inclusive education spaces for the autistic. It also
attempts to understand their perception of spaces through 5 senses.

METHODOLOGY
 Experience of parents, Deriving research concept:
caregivers, psychologists with understanding the impact of Literature study.
autistic children. the environment on their
behavioural intervention.

CONCEPT


Consulting psychologist to 1-Establishing their needs. Critical study on existing
understand their behaviour. buildings and their impact on
autistic children.

Case study - 2-Formulating enabling Theoretical study

1-Delhi - Action for Autism
2- Hyderabad - NIMH
PRELIMINARY RESEARCH
aspects of Environmental
Design for Autistic Children
Analysing various theories by
designers on architectural
intervention.

3-Theory on Behavioural
Centric Environmental Altering the environment
Design. based on design parameters

4-Structured Questionnaire
to study the effect of design
parameters.
SECONDARY RESEARCH

5-Design guidelines
DESIGN PROCEDURE

6-Schematic
Site layout
Design/Conceptual Design

Energy efficiency Defining sensory areas ,

7-Final Design
and sustainability playgrounds ,and
SITE BRIEFING circulation spaces.
The site of the project is in Dehradun. It is about 20 kms away from Dehradun
railway station , The site is approachable by NH-7, vikas nagar on Paonta Sahib
Road . Site is far away from city surrounded by the scenic beauty of Dehradun , clear
view of mountains towards the rear side of the site .

site area- 8 acres.

Bylaws-

 front setback- 18mts.

 back and side setback -9mts
 ground coverage-60%
 road-12mts. wide
 F.A.R-1.5

370m
90m
m
 DATA COLLECTION: Data Collection involves collecting the information regarding
the project such as:

- Proposing Authority
- Title and nature of project
- Location of site
- Area around the site
- Climatic conditions in the site region etc.

SITE VISIT: A site visit is must to get all the details required to develop the site
and designing of project such as:
- Orientation of site, marking of north
- Topography of site
- Existing facilities at site e.g. traffic and transportation system, status of
physical infrastructure
- Landscape characteristics
- Physical characteristics of site
 Man-made structures at site e.g. Buildings, roads, service lines etc.
 Natural – Trees, shrubs, landform, rock cut, crops
 Water bodies, soil, subsoil, water table, drainage etc.
 Area with desirable views

STUDY OF PARALLEL PROTOTYPE

- Actual Case Studies of similar projects

 Drawings and Photographs
 Analysis of design Concept and function
 Study of services
- Literature Case Studies of similar projects

ANALYSIS OF DATA

- Analyzing the data collected above to implement in development of site and

designing of the project.

COMPUTATION OF REQUIREMENTS

- Proper computation of areas required is to be made in reference to the

requirement given by the proposing agency and the byelaws applicable for the
proposed project.

EVOLUTION OF DESIGN

- Based on the requirement and site data, an appropriate design to be evolved

for a perfect outcome.