People and Buildings Under Stress: Neuro-Inclusive Design and Emergency Planning

Dealing with an emergency in the built environment—such as an evacuation or a sheltering in place—is stressful for almost everyone. But these situations, which are often accompanied by sudden, intense sensory input and other unexpected changes, can be completely debilitating for neurodivergent occupants. “People in Buildings Under Stress: Neuroinclusive Design and Emergency Planning” brings together design psychology, architecture, and lived experience to explore how emergency systems can better serve everyone. Through short provocations and case studies, speakers will unpack four critical dimensions of emergency response in the built environment: notification, evacuation, sheltering, and operations/first response. These dimensions highlight where current systems may inadvertently exclude…