Empathic Design: Using Kinesthetic Architecture to Empower Children with Autism

Identifier

6166

Author

Antonio Tirado

Date

2018

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Architecture

Major

Architecture

Committee Chair

Jennifer Lynn Barker

Committee Member

James Williamson

Committee Member

Pamela Hurley

Abstract

While designing, architects tend to focus more on physical disabilities than on mental disabilities, often creating environments unsuitable for people with varying mental abilities. One marginalized group that has varying physical and mental abilities is children with autism. In order to create a better environment for these users, architecture requires empathic designers. This thesis focuses on creating an autism center, Memphis ABLE, to provide a place that offers environments for learning, discovering, and communicating by employing strategies aimed at improving children’s social development, helping them to reconnect with their kinesthetic awareness and with their environment through empathic design. Beyond, empathic design and kinesthetic architecture, additional ideologies used for this thesis include psychology of space and ASPECTSS Index.

Comments

Data is provided by the student.

Library Comment

Dissertation or thesis originally submitted to the local University of Memphis Electronic Theses & dissertation (ETD) Repository.

Recommended Citation

Tirado, Antonio, "Empathic Design: Using Kinesthetic Architecture to Empower Children with Autism" (2018). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 1812.
https://digitalcommons.memphis.edu/etd/1812