Navigating Spaces
How can human centred design help people with ASD?
My role: Designer/Researcher on a team of 3
Duration: 3 weeks
Scope: Design recommendation for future implementation
Tools: Adobe CC, Miro
Deliverables: Design recommendations, research plan & synthesis
Published: 09/10/25
The project
As an exercise for OCADU's Design as research course our team was tasked with consulting for The Ability Respite Centre in Toronto*, serving individuals with ASD and their caregivers. The project aimed to redesign the reception area and develop a research-driven blueprint for wider application.
*The Ability Respite Centre is a fictional client developed as part of the Design As Research course to simulate working with a client who has specific requirements for it's user groups. For more information on this or anything else in this case study please feel free to reach out via the contact page.
Research approach
The context and constraints
Problem statement
Reception areas can often be overwhelming and difficult for people with ASD. How might we design the space in a way that suits the specific needs of this user group and staff?
Goals
Create series of actionable design recommendations that can be implemented by the Ability Respite Centre in both their current location and future buildouts.
Role & responsibilities
As part of a team of three, I oversaw project management, presenting the findings, leading research and project direction and the design of the presentations and resource deck.
Constraints
3 week timeline
Recommendations could not be user tested
Design exercise for OCADU's design as research course.
Research approach
Grounding the project in data
Research combined reviewing interviews, questionnaires, and mind-mapping to identify ASD needs and opportunities. Stakeholders include children with ASD, caregivers, and staff. A persona, Jane (10-year-old, Level 2 ASD), was created, focusing on her communication and sensory sensitivities. Context scans included Toronto Accessibility Design Guidelines, acoustics research, and the ASPECTSS framework.
The resource deck created as part of the Navigating Spaces project.
Understanding ability & frameworks
Choosing the appropriate benchmarks
To choose the right guidance for this context, we first surveyed relevant codes and frameworks, then combined what each does best. Accessibility is not one‑size‑fits‑all: reception spaces for users with ASD need both baseline physical access and sensory‑aware design. We used municipal guidance for clearances and movement, and paired it with a sensory‑first framework to tune language, sequencing, and zoning.
We chose ASPECTSS rather than relying solely on ADA because ADA sets universal minimums (e.g., door clearances, hardware) but does not address sensory environments. ASPECTSS adds seven autism‑specific criteria that help us right‑size spaces, often exceeding minimums so a child and caregiver can move together.
Takeaways
ASPECTSS (not just ADA): Prioritise the seven criteria—Acoustics, Spatial sequencing, Escape spaces, Compartmentalisation, Transition spaces, Sensory zoning, Safety—and reference them inline where decisions occur.
Municipal guidance: Borrow basics from the Toronto Accessibility Design Guidelines (e.g., clearances, automatic doors) and adapt to reception‑area use cases
A slide from resource deck outlining the ASPETSS framework and its application to the project.
Key insights
Research into recommendations
#1 Focus on acoustics
Acoustics is the #1 lever; spatial sequencing is #2. Teachers/parents in cited work rank acoustics as the most influential environmental factor on behaviour, followed by spatial sequencing.
64% of teachers rank acoustics, as the highest influential architectural factor.
79.3% of parents rank acoustics, as the highest influential architectural factor.
Only 20% of teachers rank spatial sequencing, as the highest influential architectural factor.
Recommendations for integrating guidelines related to Acoustics and other senses include:
Identifying and removing distracting acoustical sources.
Adding pink noise to create privacy in spaces with diverse activities.
Using soft materials that will absorb sound throughout a space.
Using natural, low-saturation colours, such as soft green and blue.
Selecting natural textures and materials, e.g., cork, rubber, porcelain, cotton.
#2 Sensory zoning is key
Sensory zoning with transition/escape spaces reduces overload. Use clearly marked low‑stimulus zones and short “buffer” transitions; avoid turning quiet rooms into isolating cul‑de‑sacs.
Image: Sensory zoning in architecture diagram. Image credit Magda Mostafa.
#3 Clutter matters
Clutter and mixed signals spike cognitive load. Hide brochures and loose materials from public sight lines; prefer enclosed storage to reduce visual noise.
Image: A typical reception area with visual clutter highlighted. removing these objects or minimizing their visual appearance is an easy low-cost win for reducing cognitive load.
#4 Off-the-shelf > bespoke solutions
Readymade solutions keep costs down and are easy to replace during scale‑up; redirect savings toward staff retention and essential accessibility hardware. Additionally, ready-made furniture can be sourced for the home as well making possible solutions available outside of the institutional space.
Image: IKEA Billy bookcase with doors. It offers an affordable option for limiting visible clutter and reducing cognitive load.
Turning insights into opportunities
Piecing it all together
From the research, we defined three high‑leverage intervention areas that offer strong impact at low cost:
Acoustic management — Practical sound‑dampening and soft partitions to reduce ambient noise.
Visual wayfinding — Consistent, colour‑coded zones and legible signage to anchor navigation.
Sensory zoning — Quiet rooms and low‑stimulus waiting areas to provide immediate respite options.
These opportunities informed a printable implementation guide and online resource concept that staff and caregivers can use without specialised training.
Image: Low cost acoustic panels available on Amazon to reduce reverb and excess noise in the environment.
The solution space
Turning findings into actions
An easy‑to‑use how‑to manual that front‑loads the highest‑impact, lowest‑effort changes—formatted for office‑printer output and mirrored online for accessibility.
What’s inside
Quick‑start checklists for reception setup and daily resets.
Zone templates & floorplans (quiet / transition / active) with wayfinding patterns and colour guidance.
Acoustics playbook: graduated acoustic treatments to avoid the “greenhouse effect,” plus soft‑material swaps.
Clutter reduction patterns: enclose pamphlets and supplies; move brochure racks behind the desk; use enclosed storage (e.g., IKEA BILLY/OXBERG, BESTÅ) to lower visual load.
Illustration‑heavy guidance to support non‑verbal participants and simplify translation; provide an accessible digital version with appropriate metadata.
This illustration demonstrates minimum interior high use area pathway measurements sourced from the Toronto Accessibility Design Guidelines. Illustrations such as this would be present in the online/printed resource.
Learning and outcomes
Delivered
A focused set of spatial, acoustic, and wayfinding recommendations presented alongside a slide deck and reference resource.
Actionable steps to move forward
A framework for expansion and mindful solution
Next steps
Development of print and online open-source resource showing findings and recommendations for use in The Ability Respite Centre and domestic settings
User testing with a cooperative design approach involving real participants who have ASD
Key learnings
Treat language, sound, and sequence as core design materials—not just furniture and finishes.
Low‑cost, modular changes can unlock outsized improvements when paired with clear guidance and repeatable patterns.
Ability frameworks are not a one size fits all approach and should be tailored to specific user groups
Thanks for reading, let's connect!
info@gregmccarthystudios.com