Xiao Tu

The purpose of this project is to create an immersive sensory space for children with Autism. The design provides both engaging and relaxing learning opportunities that seek to help them improve their interactive abilities and integrate better into main-stream society.

In this project, all the rooms are designed in spherical shape, which can make children with autism feel safe and comfortable and reduce the opportunity for injuries. The whole space is about twenty-three meters wide and seventeen meters deep, it allows about 50 people to visit simultaneously. There are five rooms that each represent five senses. Every child is allowed to play there, not only children with autism and it is totally free.

The waiting area is the first point of contact with Sensory World. It is here that a reception area becomes visible and where children can play with toys. This is to alleviate any anxiety first-time children might experience when visiting and aid in their ability to adapt to the new environment.

In the sight room, symmetrical shapes have been perforated through the ceiling and covered with a variety of coloured glass. Any sunlight that passes through here will create colourful projections that change their location and intensity throughout the day. This room itself is divided into two levels, the upper level is glass, so that the filtered light can cross it, whereas the lower level is a darker space. These design variations can help children with hypersensitivity and those with hyposensitivity respectively.

In the auditory room, there is a huge spiral structure in the middle of the space, which is inspired by the repetition seen within conch shells - It can amplify and resonate the sound in air. On this spiral structure, a variety of bird images have been projected. These are interactive, and emit a sound when the children engage with the image.

Inside the tactile room, different textures of fabrics and nets fill the space. Children with hyposensitivity like to touch and feel different materials, they can climb up on these fabrics and lay down there to feel the texture. Children with hypersensitivity like soft materials, so they can stay with the soft cocoon shape on the bottom and even wrap themselves up with these cocoons, which can give them a sense of security, also there is a ‘tube’ for them to climb inside, which is covered by soft material. Visual stimulation, tactile stimulation and physical movement are carried out at the same time, which can help them better coordinate their brain and body.