Een autisme-vriendelijke school: architectuur als eerste stap

Since 2017, it is a legal requirement in the Netherlands that every building with a public function is accessible to everyone. However, the barriers that school-going students with autism encounter on a daily basis are oft en invisible, such as too much noise, too bright light, unclear routes, too few seats during breaks, and a lack of quiet areas. Autism-friendly architecture aims to ensure that autistic students can move freely, feel safe and welcome, and are not overstimulated by the environment, so that they too enjoy going to school, and can socialize with fellow students at appropriate times. To achieve this aim, in this article we describe a number of aspects from an architectural perspective, such as acoustics and light, assigned functions and areas, transition zones and the schoolyard. Creating an autism-friendly school starts with the right architecture of the physical space, recognizing that all students benefit from the necessary improvements in the physical environment.