I have begun looking at spaces that I feel express their architecture whilst meeting the users needs. Can the buildings architecture connect with its Autistic occupants. My initial thoughts and dicussions with my course mates and tutor have outlined the lack of a need for corridors. This is due to many autistic children's discomfort when there personal space is invaded, as outlined in my background study. Therefore the circulation within the buidling could be space and the facilities themselves could be pods within this space. This could lend itself to planning around routine. Coloured pods, easily identifiable, could form visual reference to the users, creating routine and lowering stress levels. This at least gives me a starting point. I am to progress this over the next few weeks.

Following the completion of my background studies, I found my self asking the question what could drive the buildings architecture. My first thought was to list the buildings functions out creating a mind map of how a user could approach the building. I then began looking for connections.

I began to explore comparisons to a buildings language to that of DNA, obviously a play on the fact that Autism is a gentitic disablility. Could I take the building stones of DNA sequencing and transfer them to the spacial planning of the facilities required.

This exercise was useful, however I feel it only allowed me to begin planning the building in a regimented approach. I simply dropped into "office mode" trying to plan the building logical round its functions without consideration for the spaces I was creating. There is little room for architecural expression and need to start concentrate on the induvidual spaces in relation to the users needs.