"sensOR" Sensory Recreation Centre

Silesian University of Technology

Project idea

The subject of this project is a conception of a recreation centre focused on fulfilling sensory needs. The building is dedicated especially to autistic people, offering help in the form of calming, stimulation or therapy. Neuroatypicality is being diagnosed more often among people of all ages, but public spaces still aren’t adapted for people who have special sensory needs or get overstimulated easily. The sensOR project is an idea of a place safe for anyone who needs sensory stimulation, or on the contrary – calmness. It is a building for everyone, but every aspect of design has been formed with the focus mostly on people in the autism spectrum, for example through questionnaires for autistic people or direct consultations with the neurodiverse. Forms of recreation, rest and therapy include sensory stimulation rooms, sensory garden, psychotherapy, physiotherapy or multifunctional rooms, adapted for group activities.

Project description

Based on many analysis and after a thorough examination of the chosen topic, there has been a single-storey building with a cellar designed, which is both open for surrounding nature and calming environment through courtyards and a garden, but also can be a shelter from any stimuli. Every architectural aspect – from colour palette, through the organisation of greenery, to interior design – has been created with the idea of autistic people’s needs in mind. The building’s shape is too based on a simplified infinity symbol, which is a symbol of the neurodiverse community.
The building has been divided into following areas: quiet, loud, mixed, entrance, administering and cafeteria. An important segment of the centre is also a sensory garden, which is a continuation of it. In the quiet area there are rooms such as sensory stimulating zones, quiet rooms, psychotherapy and physiotherapy modules, while in the loud area – meeting room, lecture room, dance and sports rooms. The mixed area includes a library and an arts&crafts room.
Sensory is naturally one of the most important aspects of the project – some of the main ideas include neutral colour and material palette, soundproof windows and walls, adjustable lights, noise cancelling headphone rental, stimming toys, various stimming materials and the sensory garden.
Accessibility is also crucial – the building has been provided with, for example: wide and smooth pavements and floors, an elevator for the staff, wheelchair rental, lowered shelves, elevated flowerbeds, clear navigation, handrails with descriptions in Braille’s alphabet, colour coding, typhlographic map, adult changing station, showers and disinfectant dispensers.

Technical information

The idea of the project is not only to cater to people, but also to the environment. Thus, the construction has been thought to be created as much with recycled materials as possible, and there have been many energy-saving and eco-friendly solutions designed. Among them, it’s worth mentioning a heat pump, recuperator and water retention; rainwater is being collected from the roofs, retention tanks, rain gardens and permeable surfaces. Moreover, every roofing has its own function – there is a green roof, an integrated solar roof and a titanium dioxide roof. A dense garden and a flower meadow are also very important environmental elements.