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A research paper, from 2006. It's about buildings and autistic people.
Are you sitting comfortably? Then here we go... (thread).
It's set in a residential school, with some 50 young pupils.
They wanted to find out if the building's design was useful for the autistic children/
Are you sitting comfortably? Then here we go... (thread).
It's set in a residential school, with some 50 young pupils.
They wanted to find out if the building's design was useful for the autistic children/
They wanted 'all stakeholders' to have a chance to give their views. Hurrah.
Let's see who was a stakeholder...
The teaching staff leaders.
Care workers.
Wait...but...what about the children? Did they ask the children?
No, they didn't ask the children/
Let's see who was a stakeholder...
The teaching staff leaders.
Care workers.
Wait...but...what about the children? Did they ask the children?
No, they didn't ask the children/
OK, so they asked autistic adults?
Autistic specialists in environmental assessment?
Autistic Architects?
Autistic interior designers?
<searches the paper>
Oh. No, they didn't.
Er, ok. Let's see what they found/
Autistic specialists in environmental assessment?
Autistic Architects?
Autistic interior designers?
<searches the paper>
Oh. No, they didn't.
Er, ok. Let's see what they found/
They write that for example the staff thought curved walls were less Institutional, for example.
That the curved walls 'facilitated movement' for the children.
That one child (out of 50) put their hand on the wall to find their way round/
That the curved walls 'facilitated movement' for the children.
That one child (out of 50) put their hand on the wall to find their way round/
And, this paper is used as definitive proof that autistic people like curved walls.
So, I asked autistic people if they liked curved walls.
Not a lot, generally. Poll result in picture. Very clear majority liked straight walls, not curved.
And I went into a meeting/
So, I asked autistic people if they liked curved walls.
Not a lot, generally. Poll result in picture. Very clear majority liked straight walls, not curved.
And I went into a meeting/
In the meeting, some nonautistic people.
They declared buildings for autistic people should have curved walls.
I said, no, autistic people generally don't like curved walls.
"That's just your point of view. Severely autistic children like them", they said, paraphrased.
Er.../
They declared buildings for autistic people should have curved walls.
I said, no, autistic people generally don't like curved walls.
"That's just your point of view. Severely autistic children like them", they said, paraphrased.
Er.../
Did anyone ask the autistic children whether they liked curved walls?
Would it surprise you to learn that, as far as I can see, no-one has ever asked autistic children of any level of support-needs whether they like curved walls.
Now, this may seem like me being pedantic, but/
Would it surprise you to learn that, as far as I can see, no-one has ever asked autistic children of any level of support-needs whether they like curved walls.
Now, this may seem like me being pedantic, but/
It's an example of what we see All The Time.
That no-one bothers to ask us.
Then they make up an alleged fact.
Then their alleged fact makes it into policy.
Then they tell us that we don't know anything, because we're not like the Children They Did Not Ask.
It's boggling stuff
That no-one bothers to ask us.
Then they make up an alleged fact.
Then their alleged fact makes it into policy.
Then they tell us that we don't know anything, because we're not like the Children They Did Not Ask.
It's boggling stuff
Now I wouldn't mind so much, perhaps, but I'm a buildings specialist, on autism.
And I'm autistic.
And I've spent two decades studying this topic.
And I have asked.
I'm also paid large sums of money to advise on buildings.
But, in the world of NTs, none of that matters/
And I'm autistic.
And I've spent two decades studying this topic.
And I have asked.
I'm also paid large sums of money to advise on buildings.
But, in the world of NTs, none of that matters/
As long as a nonautistic person invents a 'fact', that's all the proof there needs be.
We need to change this, don't we.
Because this isn't logical. This isn't evidence-based. This is just plain silly, and it has to stop.
Thank you for reading.
We need to change this, don't we.
Because this isn't logical. This isn't evidence-based. This is just plain silly, and it has to stop.
Thank you for reading.
https://twitter.com/AnnMemmott/status/1374036613953642498 Original poll. Under it, original comments by autistic people. They explain why they might like, or dislike, particular wall design. Do have a read. Don't try to claim that their views are irrelevant unless you have evidence to prove that point.
PS - lots of people refer to a particular Architect, who claims that autistic people like curved walls. I researched his work. He appears never to have asked autistic people.
It was his personal view that straight lines were Institutional and thus should be removed.
Mmm.
It was his personal view that straight lines were Institutional and thus should be removed.
Mmm.
What makes places 'institutional' isn't a line.
It's a narrative that the 'incapable' are there to be taught a series of lessons in manners, & in who has power and control. That their wishes don't matter. That their views are irrelevant. That their differences are to be erased/
It's a narrative that the 'incapable' are there to be taught a series of lessons in manners, & in who has power and control. That their wishes don't matter. That their views are irrelevant. That their differences are to be erased/
'Institutional' thinking is what traps autistic people in buildings so unsuitable that they try to take their own lives, rather than endure them longer.
This is serious stuff.
This is literally deadly serious.
Why can we not Just Ask People, for goodness sakes. It's not hard.
This is serious stuff.
This is literally deadly serious.
Why can we not Just Ask People, for goodness sakes. It's not hard.
"But the children cannot communicate, and only our staff know how to interpret their behaviour"
Rhubarb. On both counts.
What on earth would make a nonautistic staff member more qualified to comment on autistic design that several hundred actual autistic people?
Rhubarb. On both counts.
What on earth would make a nonautistic staff member more qualified to comment on autistic design that several hundred actual autistic people?
Work with your Speech & Language specialists to enable communication.
Work with autistic buildings specialists. There are teams of us.
Work with autistic Architects.
Listen.
Learn.
Work with autistic buildings specialists. There are teams of us.
Work with autistic Architects.
Listen.
Learn.
Very glad of the ever-growing teams of people who are doing just that.
Autism never was a 'behavioural' condition.
The behaviour is most often distress.
And, often, the distress is from the built environment.
https://vimeo.com/52193530 Sound up. We can detect that lot.
Can you?
Autism never was a 'behavioural' condition.
The behaviour is most often distress.
And, often, the distress is from the built environment.
https://vimeo.com/52193530 Sound up. We can detect that lot.
Can you?
