Spatial organisation of “therapeutic” spaces for autistic children in special schools: lessons learnt from the united kingdom experience

Abstract

Providing calming environments for children with autism spectrum disorders in schools is a common issue in the world as the unique cultures and characteristics of autistic individuals are increasingly revealed. However, in Japan, no architectural guidelines provide specific information to develop autistic friendly spaces in special schools. Consequently, the provision of “therapeutic” spaces such as calm rooms, soft play rooms, sensory rooms or terraces is lagging behind. We conducted field surveys at six special schools in the UK as model cases. We analysed: 1) the types and functions of therapeutic spaces, and 2) the configuration of therapeutic spaces around a classroom. As a result, we identified the spatial organisation of therapeutic spaces based on a classroom suitable for different age groups. In nursery areas, dedicated playgrounds with direct access from classrooms are in high demand. In primary areas, small terraces next to classrooms and calm rooms nearby play a role in maintaining the children’s well-being. In secondary or high school areas, the settings are becoming more similar to mainstream than to special schools as the students become more independent. These findings suggest the importance of supporting individuals and different age groups through the spatial organisation of therapeutic spaces.

Keywords

• special schools
• autism spectrum disorders
• therapeutic spaces
• spatial organisation