Read the full feature by Alexandra Lange in Bloomberg City Lab here.

"Cities and schools are not typically designed by, or for, people with conditions such as autism," writes Alexandra Lange, columnist at Bloomberg City Lab.

"Often, the processes for how they get built exclude input from neurodivergent residents, a category that can include people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, dyspraxia, dyslexia and intellectual disabilities as well as mental health conditions like anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Architects are developing ways to address these oversights — first experimenting with new ways of surveying diverse users, then designing with the insights they receive.

The sounds of highway car traffic grate on most people trying to focus. But that’s particularly true for some of the students of PS112m in New York City.  The school hosts one of NYC Public Schools’ Nest Programs, in partnership with New York University, to serve students with autism spectrum disorders in classrooms alongside general education students.

The students at PS112m will have more opportunities for student engagement going forward.   They’re part of a new multi-year project, The Neurodiverse City, which aims to develop new prototypes for public spaces. It’s led by the Design Trust for Public Space, two design practices, and a group of community partners focused on accessibility."

Read on Here.