Designing for people with special needs

Rock Village is a concept for mentally disabled people with special needs. The societal objectives of the project are reintegrating the end users to the society by offering them social integration opportunities, raising the public awareness of mentally disabled people, and focusing on empowerment and independence. As the Rock Village is a home for people with special needs, the socio-cultural aspects need to be taken into deep consideration during the planning and design phase. How should the the special needs be recognized in planning and design?

There are three important aspects in designing for the disabled: creating a stimulating environment, coherence and control. The environment should be stimulating, yet clear enough to avoid confusion. Planning and design can be assisted with the right use of for example colors, light, coding, floor patterns, materials and sensory cues. For coherence, the spaces and their uses need to be clearly distinguished. Offering a feeling of control through giving possibilities of altering the space is also important. There should be a clear hierarchy of spaces as public and private spaces can encourage different kinds of activities, interaction, self-expression and empowerment.