How well do our cities support neurodivergent people? My research into neurodiversity and the built environment reveals critical gaps in urban design, wayfinding, and accessibility—showing how many public spaces unintentionally exclude those with cognitive differences.

From sensory overwhelm in transport hubs to navigation barriers in city layouts, neurodivergent individuals and families face daily challenges that remain overlooked in mainstream urban planning. This article explores the key findings, the real-life impact of poor design, and practical ways to make cities more inclusive.

Education has been a somewhat slow evolver in a world that is rapidly changing. Delivery of education and schools is tied up in government processes and embedded practices.

In this piece I've explored how we as social planners and urban designers can have some influence in this space, but ultimately there is a big and complex web that is education and its future.

Considering the experiences of all people, and being inclusive in the way we plan and design is essential. We need to not just plan for ourselves and our own preferences, but think about all people, and include them in the design process from the start. If we don’t design inclusively, we are designing for a narrow portion of the population and further entrenching  our inherent biases and the status quo. 

Planning and designing better places includes designing for neurodiversity, and is an important step to a more inclusive and considerate world.