Adaptive Play: A Place of Healing & Learning

Abstract

For many years the disabled community has been secluded from our every day surroundings due to severe impairments and lack of adaptable environments. This is an issue that has fortunately begun to see progress in the early education systems taking place throughout the United States. In more recent years we have seen an increased involvement of school systems providing inclusion programs at the beginning stages of children’s development. Unfortunately architecture has not fully embraced this issue in order to provide spaces that are mindful of this diversely unique population of children. This thesis will explore architecture as a means to provide a space for children of all disabilities, and without, to interact and learn from one another at an early age in order to create an environment of inclusion within communities.