Designing for Neurodiversity: A Co-Created Living Lab on Sensory Rooms in Higher Education

Result

The surveys conducted so far as part of the project clearly show that sensory overload is widespread in everyday university life and affects many students. In the first survey, over half of the participants stated that they frequently felt sensory overload in their everyday student life. It is particularly relevant to note that overload is rarely caused by a single stimulus, but usually by a combination of several factors such as noise, visual distraction, confined spaces and a lack of places to retreat to.

A large proportion of participants describe increased sensitivity to auditory and visual stimuli, but also to smells, tactile and proprioceptive sensations. The results also show that sensory factors noticeably impair not only well-being, but also the ability to concentrate, academic performance and participation in everyday university life.

The focus groups explored these findings in greater depth. A very consistent picture emerged across all groups: students particularly miss quiet, controllable retreat areas, good acoustic quality, and flexibly usable and clearly differentiated spaces. Instead of isolated adjustments to individual elements, the need for fundamentally different, stimulus-sensitive spatial concepts was articulated.

A key outcome of the co-design process is the recurring two-zone principle: the clear spatial separation between low-stimulus quiet areas and stimulating zones, for example for physical activity or sensory stimulation. In addition, a connection to nature, physical activity, and the ability to individually control lighting and other sensory stimuli were identified as essential factors for well-being and self-regulation.

Description

Higher education environments often present a significant sensory challenge for neurodivergent people. It is estimated that around 22% of the population is clinically neurodivergent, including those with diagnoses such as ADHD (5–6%), autism spectrum disorders (<2%) or dyslexia (10%). Many of these individuals leave educational or work settings not because of a lack of ability, but because the environment does not meet their sensory needs.

The project aims to promote inclusion, well-being and academic performance among students at the ZHAW through the introduction of sensory rooms.

What is a sensory room?

A sensory room is a specially designed space equipped with various sensory stimuli. It provides a safe environment in which users can selectively choose sensory stimuli to regulate their emotions and energy levels and develop self-regulation strategies.

The Living Lab approach: research meets practice

Although some universities have already introduced sensory rooms, there has so far been a lack of systematic needs assessments, evidence-based usage models and empirical effectiveness evaluations. The question of how such rooms can be scaled up and permanently integrated into university operations has also remained largely unexplored. The project at the ZHAW closes this gap by combining scientific expertise with practical application. The “Designing for Neurodiversity” project is designed as a living lab and follows a structured, five-stage process to develop the sensory rooms, from the initial needs analysis through to permanent implementation:

1) Needs analysis: Short surveys and focus groups identify needs and barriers (completed):

• Conducting an online survey (N = 228) and focus groups.
• Key findings: 94% of participants are hypersensitive to one or more sensory stimuli, with auditory stimuli (49%) causing the greatest distress. 60% of participants are hyposensitive to one or more sensory stimuli, with proprioceptive stimuli (37%) causing the greatest distress. The canteen, large lecture theatres and open-plan study areas were identified as particularly stressful. Sensory overload arises primarily from a combination of noise, visual distraction, cramped conditions and a lack of control. In terms of the physical environment, there is a particular lack of quiet, controllable retreat areas, good acoustics, flexibility and differentiation between spaces.

2) Co-design workshops: Groups define facilities and rules of use (completed):

• In Workshop 1 participants identified with scenarios, documented strategies and built ideal spaces (e.g. using Lego or modelling clay). In Workshop 2, the true-to-scale designs developed by the project team were validated and the rules of use (e.g. usage rights, booking system, and much more) were jointly established.
• Key Findings: Core principles emerged, such as the two-zone principle (separation of active and retreat zones), the importance of biophilic design (nature) and the need for individual control over sensory stimuli. In addition, control charts regarding behaviour and usage were formulated jointly. 

3) Iterative prototyping (from August 2026): In this phase, the concepts are brought to life.

Two rooms at the Toni-Areal (Zurich) and Haus Adeline Favre (Winterthur) will be fitted out in accordance with the agreed layouts. They will be ready for use at the start of the autumn semester 2026. The process is iterative, which means that adjustments will be made to the prototype based on user feedback, leading to the final concept.

4) Impact measurement and evaluation: This is the scientific core of the project, aimed at demonstrating the effectiveness of the spaces.

In addition to subjective feedback, sensors are used to objectively measure the impact of the spaces. Biophysiological stress markers are analysed to establish an evidence-based foundation for the effectiveness of the sensory retreats.

5) Dissemination: In the final step, the findings are shared to enable the concept to be scaled up.

Alignment with global sustainability goals (SDGs)

The project is explicitly designed to contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:

• SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being): Reducing stress and promoting mental health through suitable quiet spaces.
• SDG 4 (Quality Education): Creating accessible learning environments that enable individual growth.
• SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities): Promoting inclusion by taking neurodiverse profiles into account in spatial planning.

Key data

Further documents and links