May 01, 2025

Neurodiversity in Today’s Office Design

Arium AE understands that the built environment plays a powerful role in shaping how people feel, focus, perform, and work. Today’s workplaces must support a wide range of workstyles and needs. Employees thrive in environments that consider a large spectrum of cognitive and sensory needs.

Samantha Butcher, a Senior Interior Designer at Arium AE, shares insights on how thoughtful, inclusive design can better support neurodivergent individuals feeling comfortable in the workplace. These strategies aren’t just helpful for some individuals; they can enhance the workplace experience for everyone. Design can be a thoughtful tool for enhancing focus, reducing stress, and contributing to the overall well-being of employees.

Many changes can be implemented in your office that will not just help neurodiverse employees but also contribute to everyone’s productivity and well-being. Let’s look closer at ways you can improve the work environment for everyone.

Flexibility

Environment: Create microenvironments where people (employees and visitors) can choose to go based on their sensory comfort. Group work and socializing are fostered in areas with higher-stimuli settings, places with visual interest, background noise, people, movements, and color. However, those with high sensitivity to noise and movement are more likely to experience sensory overload; having an option for a quiet working area is far more desirable. Creating spaces encouraging movement, where individuals can walk or pace freely, helps foster an environment that supports those who may think better standing than seated at a desk. Incorporating biophilic elements such as indoor plants, living or green walls, wood accents, and natural light not only creates a calming effect but also adds another layer of complexity to the design without overwhelming users.

Furniture: Furniture can be a great asset in achieving a minor change with a significant impact. Adaptable furniture, such as desks for sitting or standing, adjustable seating that allows for movement—rolling, tilting, or shifting—can help support employees who may feel restless or need to fidget. These options provide an effective outlet for those under-stimulated or who benefit from physical movement to maintain focus and productivity. In large social areas, something as simple as different table sizes and styles allows employees to control their desired level of interaction and privacy, making them feel more welcome and apt to use the space. It is important to consider texture, elements like patterns, colors, and tactile qualities of materials, especially carpeting and chair upholstery. These details can significantly impact and define the overall experience and comfort of the space.

Color & Light

Color: Color and light play a crucial role in shaping the atmosphere of a workspace. Shades of blue and green are often associated with nature and the earth and tend to have a universally positive effect. However, for neurodivergent individuals who may experience color more intensely, certain hues can offer soothing benefits. Softer tones such as beige or brown have a calming effect, promoting a sense of stability and grounding. Choosing the right colors can create a more supportive and comfortable environment for all employees.

Light: Many neurodiverse individuals are susceptible to bright, harsh lighting and glare. Integrating natural light into the workspace has been shown to enhance focus and well-being, benefiting everyone, not just those who are neurodivergent. Additionally, incorporating dimmable lighting and soft, neutral color pallets can help reduce stress and create a more calming environment, allowing employees to recharge and stay productive.

Wayfinding

Inclusive wayfinding begins before you even enter the building, ensuring accessible routes with a clear path to the main entry. This includes well-lit, clearly defined walkways and a direct, intuitive route that guides everyone smoothly to their destination. Entry doors should be easy to use and well-marked. Once inside, it is helpful to have a transition space with seating between the entrance and internal areas. This can be helpful for those who may need more time adjusting from the outside to the inside environment. In larger offices, wayfinding can be challenging, and for employees and users with cognitive differences, a sense of disorientation can become very overwhelming. Those who have dyslexia tend to rely on environmental cues rather than signage, and it can be frustrating when everything looks similar. People with ASD (autism spectrum disorder) can often be uncomfortable making eye contact, therefore struggling to travel through a space with traditional eye-level signage. An alternative approach is to design walls, floors, and even ceilings with a variety of wayfinding strategies that cater to a broader range of people. This can be achieved by incorporating different patterns, shapes, and textures in areas like floors and landscapes, making navigation easier and more accessible.

Air Quality

Stale air and unpredictable odors can create a particularly challenging working environment for individuals with neurogenetic olfactory sensitivities. People with autism, for example, often experience heightened sensitivity to smells and tastes, making these environmental factors even more important. For someone with hyperosmia, a heightened sensitivity to smells can unknowingly trigger feelings of anxiety or depression. Often, this reaction happens without the individual realizing that certain odors are the cause. In recent years, scent-scaping has become more popular in the workplace, using specific scents to define different areas and activities. Research indicates that certain aromas can enhance focus and performance, benefiting neurodivergent and neurotypical employees. Options for scent-scaping range from plug-in scent diffusers and air purifiers to companies that can create, install, and manage a ‘brand scent’ for your company.

Not Just Employees

It’s important to remember that neurodivergence isn’t just limited to your employees; it also includes your clients and end-users. The sports industry was one of the first communities to recognize the need to create a more inclusive experience for its clients. Around 2017, the Cleveland Cavaliers became the first sports venue in the country to become certified as sensory inclusive. Since then, sensory nooks and rooms have become more common at stadiums and public venues. The New York Mets installed a branded sensory nook on their main concourse that is free to all guests who “need a break from the excitement of the action on the diamond.” Along with the 8 NHL clubs with dedicated sensory rooms, 29 clubs have provided their fans with shaded glasses and branded noise-cancelling headphones. The NFL also has at least 20 organizations with dedicated quiet areas, some of which are multipurpose offering spaces for nursing mothers. Baltimore’s own M&T Bank Stadium has five dedicated quiet rooms. When the 2022 season began, they had a collection of sensory-friendly items like headphones and toys.¹

In Europe, Manchester City Football Club (MCFC) developed an entire ‘Sensory Suite’, a “Therapeutic multi-sensory space, with a full unrestricted view of the pitch with beanbags and other soft furnishings creating a safe and controlled environment for supporters to watch their beloved Blues.” They have also provided the option of additional seating in the stadium bowl on the private balcony for those who want to spend time experiencing the match in the crowd. Included with your sensory suite ticket, guests receive a branded sensory pack with ear defenders, a mood thermometer, fidget toys, a reusable rucksack, a lanyard, and a football stress ball. MCFC partnered with Puma to design the suite exterior to replicate the look of a shoebox, allowing Puma’s unique product placement in the stadium while providing a “hidden” oasis for those in the suite.

We want to acknowledge that we have only touched on a few neurodiverse conditions, and not every condition will respond to every proposed solution. The neurodiversity movement focuses on the societal changes that can be made to create a more inclusive, accommodating world for everyone. Neurodiversity celebrates the idea that while we are all diverse in many ways, gender, race, etc., we are all equally deserving of inclusive design that recognizes differences in neurodiversity and physical abilities. We design spaces with the importance of considering a wider range of needs, sensitivities, and behaviors that can benefit everyone.²

Arium AE offers a full-service, integrated design practice that balances sophisticated design and functional solutions. Our collaborative studio brings together over 35 architects, interior designers, electrical and mechanical engineers, planners, and green professionals. We’d love to hear about your next project; contact us at 410-730-2300 or by email. 

References:

¹ https://dustinsdynastyusa.com/resources/sensory/nflstadiums/

² https://www.workdesign.com/2023/07/designing-for-neurodiversity-in-the-workplace/