International Neurodiversity & the Built Environment Symposium
This annual event is intensely cross-disciplinary and aimed toward critical interactions that address all-inclusive ways of inhabiting and perceiving our environments.
Our event seeks to stimulate international dialogue amongst neurodivergent individuals, communities and advocacy groups, architects, planners, designers, artists, therapists, medical field experts, tech companies and educational institutions.
Upcoming Event
5th International Neurodiversity & the Built Environment Symposium: Interdependence in Action
Thursday, March 27, 6pm: Opening Reception at Lark
Friday, March 28, 9am-5pm: Symposium - Thomas Jefferson University, East Falls Campus DEC 215/217/219
Marking the fifth year of the International Neurodiversity and the Built Environment series, our theme, “Interdependence in Action,” promotes collaboration, interaction and mutual support while suggesting practical and actionable discussions that address all-inclusive ways of inhabiting and perceiving our environments.
The event is presented by the Synesthetic Research and Design Lab, College of Architecture & the Built Environment, in collaboration with the Jefferson Health Center for Autism and Neurodiversity and sponsored by Shrub Oak International School.
Special Guest Speaker (virtual): Alice Wong, Disability Visibility Project, presented by the Jefferson Humanities Forum, organized by Jefferson Humanities & Health.
We invite all participants to join us for the in-person reception event the evening before the Symposium to meet and cross-pollinate.
The event and symposium are free and open to the public, registration required.
The symposium builds on the previous four years' symposia. These cross-disciplinary events stimulate international dialogue amongst neurodivergent individuals, communities and advocacy groups, and design, health, art and technology professionals.
Thank you to our sponsor
4th International Neurodiversity & the Built Environment Symposium: Intentional Connections
Building on the previous three years' symposia, FALL2020 Building Community and Rethinking the Built Environment, FALL2021 Immersive Experiences, and FALL2022 PlaceMaking, respectively, our fourth year's symposium focused on Intentional Connections and ways we are all in together to expand the scope of the dialogue with a focus on Shifting Cultures and Education as a Catalyst.
3rd International Neurodiversity & the Built Environment Symposium: PlaceMaking
Building on the previous two years' symposia, FALL2020 Building Community and Rethinking the Built Environment and FALL2021 Immersive Experiences, respectively, we looked to expand the scope of the dialogue with a focus on the notions of belonging, placemaking and sensemaking over a two-part symposium during October 2022 and Spring 2023.
2nd Annual International Neurodiversity & The Built Environment Symposium: Immersive Experiences
Building upon the previous year's symposium, Neurodiversity: Building Community and Rethinking the Built Environment, this year’s dialogue focused on immersive experiences, responsive environments, spatial interactions, and experimental evaluative and physiological measuring tools and criteria. It also included advocacy, spatial and social guidelines, and bottom up and organic initiatives.
Neurodiversity Symposium: Building Community & Rethinking the Built Environment
The event aimed to stimulate dialogue amongst designers, medical field experts and people with Autism Spectrum Disorder and their caregivers in regard to the inclusivity of our current environments and with particular focus on designing for neurodiverse individuals and those with ASD.