Designing for

DiversityDiversityThe challenges of the

built environment for

those with sensory

and cognitive

impairments

The Impact of

Environment

Occupational

Person

Occupation

Occupational

Performance

Environment

combined

Sensory/physicalSensory/physical

Cognitive

Sensory Cognitive • 95% of the information

about the world

around us comes from

our sight and hearing.

• Cognitive impairment is

when a person has

trouble remembering,

learning new things, our sight and hearing.

Sensory impairment is

when one of the

senses; sight, hearing,

smell, touch, taste and

spatial awareness, is no

longer normal

learning new things,

concentrating, or

making decisions that

affect their everyday

life. Cognitive

impairment ranges

from mild to severe

Disenablers

• Light

• Temperature

• Depth

perception• Temperature

• Touch

• Acoustics.

perception

• Figureground

• Colour

Temprature

• Hot • Cold

Touch/texture

Acoustics

Impacts on psychological, social, occupational, social and

educational well being.

• Avoid noisy

• Avoid over

stimulation

• Avoid sudden

Avoid over

stimulation

• Avoid too silent.

Vision

Interventions and

solutions

• Light

• Temperature

• Depth perception

• Temperature

• Touch

• Acoustics.

perception

• Figureground

• Light

• Colour

Interventions and

solutions

Light

• LEDs.• LEDs.

• Flouorescentlamps

• Luminous flux

Interventions and

solutions

Natural light

SkylightsSkylights

Dimmers

Interventions and

solutions

• Temperature

Interventions and

solutions

• Acoustics.

Interventions and

solutions

• Vision.