Low-tech Centre for Autism to enhance community engagement

After researching about Weston Super Mare, I found that the town is disconnected. The majority of the town's facilities are geared towards tourists, with little regard for the inhabitants. For example, there are no obvious areas for locals to attend and connect other than the seafront and shopping centre. So I concentrated my research on locating a neighbourhood in which I might knit together a community centre to increase engagement.

The primary purpose of the initiative is to create a safe space for autistic individuals to learn and engage. Connection, continuity, and conversation are fundamental to the programme. It is vital to understand the concepts of community engagement and adaptation. The objective is to build a community-led autism facility as an extension programme of Weston College, which already helps individuals who have learning disabilities.

They have an autism programme with a residential home called Weston Bay where they teach them how to live independently, however, it is fairly far from the campus and town centre. The purpose of my idea is connectivity and convenience, so a new community centre near Weston College is proposed to teach and train autistic individuals. The fundamental design concept is to rely on sensory experience to create a spatial environment inside the building that is architecturally acceptable by the town context in order to benefit autistic individuals. The community centre is being built to assist them to live comfortably in public, engaging with the community, and feeling safe. The strategy is to set up a series of spaces with different levels of public and private spaces.

There are separate entrances for the public and private sectors of the building. In the public sector, there is a flexible auditorium space with a stage for performances or stalls for students to sell crafts made in their activity and cooking classes, as well as a café where students will be taught how to sell goods in a controlled environment so that they can get a job in the industry in the future. These public spaces are open for the neighbouring community and visitors from school and town.