Where to start in addressing neurodiversity in your designs

The Equality Act legally protects people from discrimination in both the workplace and in wider society. It sets out the different ways in which it is unlawful to treat someone.

In discussing neurodiversity and design, this is an important fact to bear in mind. Indeed, it is crucial to any access and inclusivity considerations.

As Stephanie Kyle, architect and Inclusive Design Consultant at Maber Architects points out, any client who owns a building could be subject to prosecution following a complaint from a user about a building’s accessibility. The act stipulates nine protected characteristics, one of which is disability; it is also important to note that many people with a neurological condition do not consider it to be a disability.

Receipt of building control approval is not a grant of exemption from prosecution under the Equality Act, and a UK government notice warns that Part M of Building Regulations does not signify compliance with the obligations of the Equality Act.

Neurodiverse inclusive design is Kyle’s specialism. This can refer to a range of conditions, including autism, dementia, ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder), and a number of sensory processing disorders.

“It is hard to find guidance about neurodiverse inclusive design,” she concedes. Most available guidance concerns access and inclusivity in its broader sense. She points to the Centre for Accessible Environments as a good learning resource for inclusive design, and to the British Standard BS8300 for providing much more detail than the minimums of Part M.

“BS8300 begins to consider questions of neurodiverse users, such as the implications of colour contrasts,” she explains, “and the potential discomfort induced by strong patterns on walls and floors”.

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