Design Features in Residence: Helping Individuals with Autism and Dementia

Imagine this scenario: You own a design firm, and have just signed a contract to develop housing for 12 adults including some who have been featured in the materials assigned in this module: Chris Jackson (NYTimes article), Temple Grandin (TED Talk), Andrew, one of the people living in Bridgewater State Hospital (Titicut Follies), and Jane, one of the older adults (Video 3) who has been diagnosed with dementia. These individuals will have private living suites, but will share common areas in the home including a kitchen/dining area, lounge, and  exercise room. Describe three design features that you will incorporate into this residence and explain how they will improve the quality of life for the residents. Specifically discuss how each feature will help individuals with autism or dementia.
Use any/all of the materials assigned for this module as well as other materials you find to support your response. Please cite your sources.
Limit your response to approximately 250 words.
Hints to help with this week’s discussion include:
Revisit the module materials and focus on how the individuals for whom you are designing living quarters responded to their environments. What made them smile? What made them unhappy? What did they enjoy touching? Were they cold or warm? How did they move through their spaces? What about their environments seemed negative to you? What seemed positive?What components of their environments seem important to these individuals? Doors? Windows? Chairs? Toilets? Handrails? Ask yourself, how could the design of a door help to improve life for someone with autism? How could the design of a door help to improve life for someone with dementia? (This means that you will need to research some the environment/behavior issues associated with these conditions.)  Revisit the article by Carla Yanni. What design features were incorporated into buildings that adopted the Kirkbride plan? Did these features improve life for the residents? If so, would they improve life for the residents of your housing project?
Chris Jackson (NYTimes article): http://www(dot)nytimes(dot)com/2013/10/10/garden/the-architecture-of-autism.html?_r=0
Temple Grandin (TED Talk):
https://www(dot)ted(dot)com/talks/temple_grandin_the_world_needs_all_kinds_of_minds
Andrew, one of the people living in Bridgewater State Hospital (Titicut Follies):
http://www(dot)youtube(dot)com/watch?v=KKlaAtPwMg4
https://vimeo(dot)com/389325451
Jane, one of the older adults (Video 3) who has been diagnosed with dementia:
https://m(dot)youtube(dot)com/watch?v=ew0B65Fub60