Cities shape everyday life through architecture, transportation, institutions, and social infrastructure.
For neurodivergent people, cities can either create constant sensory overload or support diverse ways of living.
Neurodivergent cities prioritize:
- sensory diversity
- flexible participation
- accessible infrastructure
- restorative environments
- distributed attention spaces
Core Patterns
Urban environments amplify many neurodivergent patterns.
- Pattern 03 — Sensory Load
- Pattern 09 — Environment Fit
- Pattern 10 — Energy Accounting
- Pattern 11 — Burnout Threshold
These patterns shape how people experience public environments.
Sensory Urban Design
Cities often overwhelm the nervous system.
Designing sensory-diverse urban environments can include:
- quiet public spaces
- lighting variation
- reduced noise zones
- sensory-safe transit areas
See:
Attention Infrastructure
Cities can include places where attention is protected.
Examples include:
- libraries
- reading rooms
- studios
- parks
- maker spaces
See:
Distributed Cavendish Spaces
Cities can support networks of Cavendish Spaces.
These environments allow people to explore ideas, collaborate, and pursue interests.
Examples include:
- community workshops
- maker labs
- research hubs
- creative studios
See:
Cities as Civilizational Design
Cities reflect the assumptions of the societies that build them.
Designing neurodivergent-friendly cities means designing environments where cognitive diversity is expected rather than marginalized.
See: