designing playgrounds for auties/aspies with sensory issues.

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so im studying landscape architecture right now(as in this period of time not right now) and one of my courses is people, place and design and the teacher for that class specialises in designing playgrounds for kids and every once in a while she mentions that our sensory issues necessitate a special approach in all areas of design. i dont know what to make of this. this generalises us as not all of us have sensory issues on the one hand but on the other it also generalises those who do have sensory issues. what i mean is that some people might not like being overly stimulated but others might really like it. im basing that claim from poeple's comments on these boards and from the proposed dsmV revision(yeah i know it's still proposed which means it's not the bible but its being considered so that means something) which words it like this:
4. Hyper-or hypo-reactivity to sensory input or unusual interest in sensory aspects of environment; (such as apparent indifference to pain/heat/cold, adverse response to specific sounds or textures, excessive smelling or touching of objects, fascination with lights or spinning objects)

i dont really know that there is one way to design for spectrumites though she makes it out that we all react adversly to sensory stimulation. i myself would like for there to be a lot of stimulation in a playground environment(not night club level- even i find that sickening) but i was wondering what you all thought about this. what would you like in a playground environment and what would cause you discomfort?

OK so I usually bite my tounge, and please take this with helpfull intent.

theres some issues with what you are attempting to accomplish.
You even said it yourself. the problem lies in the defination of design goals, to start

.....4. Hyper-or hypo-reactivity to sensory input or unusual interest in sensory aspects of environment; (such as apparent indifference to pain/heat/cold, adverse response to specific sounds or textures, excessive smelling or touching of objects, fascination with lights or spinning objects)

Who writes these things??


An all inclusive one size fits all?
Isolation controls/methods?
Both hyper or hypo?
Heat and cold?
Too many variations
React adversly AND diversly ! !

I would find a project with obtainable, reasonable, clear, well defined goals..

Please take with dry humor in mind.

If theres even one flickering, spinning or flashing anything,.. count me out....

um i think you might have misunderstood me a little(or a lot). im not actually designing anything, merely pointing out that there would be difficulty designing for a group with such diverse reactions to stimuli. and also asking what you would prefer personally.

sorry, title says "Designing Playgrounds."
"studying landscape architecture " <design? student?

"there would be difficulty designing for a group" too many variables
"this generalises us as not all of us have sensory issues" :yes
"it also generalises those who do have sensory issues" :yes

We are all SO different...:

How about....."no mirrored Disco balls"
Waaaay past my bed time..................

When you say "playground" do you mean a single structure (e.g the kind where monkey bars connect to some kind of structure for climbing, which branches off to a platform for a slide....etc.)?

Or are you talking about the kind of playground that has multiple structures, separate from each other but all contained in a larger "playground area" (e.g. the slide is one structure, if you walk ten feet away from the slide you come across an elaborate set of monkey bars, if you continue walking away from where the slide is located you run into a set of swings...etc.)?

I agree that if you were designing a playground specifically for people with sensory issues, it would be very difficult to meet everyone's needs--especially if you were trying to design one structure, instead of figuring out a design for multiple structures spread out across a "playground area".

To account for both hyper-sensitivities to auditory and visual stimuli would be inherently challenging--and it would be very difficult to account for both hyper- and hypo-sensitivities unless you could wall off all the different structures (or segments thereof) and sound-proof each section......not exactly a realistic strategy!

I'd say the best design would have multiple sections with very different sensory environments. For example, there could be small, dark cubby-hole things that kids who are overloaded could climb into to get away from stimuli, and all high-stimulation things would be positioned in such a way that you could avoid them. For example, if you wanted a large glittery disco-ball thing, put it beside a large wall with playground equipment on both sides of the wall, so kids could pick which side to play at depending on whether or not they like the shiny ball.

You may want to look into the design of Snoezelen rooms, although they're designed for one person at a time. But they have a lot of stuff specifically designed for children with sensory processing issues, since they're basically sensory therapy rooms.

My daughter (probable Aspergers) loves playgrounds, no matter what, they all appear to be perfect for her. But, yesterday, we were at a family day at a city centre theatre. The main part was this exhibit: www.glasgowconcerthalls.com/whatson/eve ... h-of-Light. The kids were allowed to paddle in the water (which was only a few cm deep), there was a beautiful light and the image was projected onto a screen. I've never seen my daughter so happy and entranced. The other kids just looked like they were having a paddle at the seaside. Water combined with light had an amazing effect on her. If there was any way this sort of thing could be incorporated into a playground, that would be wonderful, but probably expensive.