Adapting the City to the Specific Sensory Needs of Autistic People: A Participatory Research Approach

International audience ; Context: Cities are spaces in which our senses are particularly solicited: vehicle noise, light reflections on glass surfaces, illuminated signs, food odors and more. For people with atypical neurological or sensory functioning, such as autistic individuals, the intense sensory stimulation present in urban environments can make cities overwhelming, limiting their autonomy and quality of life. The aim of this study is to identify the micro-designs of public space that are favorable and unfavorable to people with autism, based on their experiential knowledge.Method:During the first stage, this participatory project was designed by a consortium of researchers, autistic people, clinicians and local authority representatives, all of whom were involved in decision-making throughout the project’s stages., After receiving ethical approval, an initial phase consisted of semi-structured interviews conducted with 20 autistic adults and 20 professionals who work with them on a daily basis (e.g., specialized educators, psychologists). Participants were asked to express their experience of the city, based on photographs of the urban environment (streets, crosswalks, benches). In a second phase, five design thinking workshops were held with local authority staff (road planning, accessibility),organizations and autistic people, to present the results and foster the collaborative development of solutions, using the various expertise, to make the city more accessible.Results: Overall, urban designs of cities are often a significant source of fatigue, physical discomfort or pain, anxiety and even distress for autistic people. However, micro-designs modifications in public spaces can improve their experience autonomy. Findings showed that sidewalks should be sufficiently wide, with clear traffic- flows rules and indicators, visually-defined boundaries with the roadway, shaded, and not cluttered on the ground. Crosswalks should follow a standardized structure to facilitate identification and use. Vehicles ...