Humanising the Modern Airport: Learnings from Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

This thesis sets to propose an alternate vision for the modern airport that is founded on lessons gained from careful observations of those on the autistic spectrum. Often motivated by maximising efficiency, productivity, and profitability, the modern airport design, creates a ‘conveyor-belt’ journey whereby the traveller is treated indifferent to their luggage and transported through in a monotonic process. As a result, the modern airport experience is arguably a dehumanising one, whereby an individual’s emotional need and mental wellbeing becomes the lowest priority. To address this issue, it sets out to learn from autism or Takiwātanga (te reo Maori for Autism). We begin by exploring autism through a medical definition and continue by drawing inspiration from the conception of ‘Takiwatanga’, and through personal memoir of an autistic person. We return to critically analyse characteristics and examples of the modern airport, to identify the factors that contribute to a stressful user-experience. We examine this experience further through an experiential-experiment employed by the author through imagining and empathising what it would be like for a person with autism to travel through an airport. In addition, a survey of caretakers and airport users was also completed. To complete the analysis, we study examples of existing modern airports that has set precedents for consideration of the needs of the autistic in their design. Beyond a study of the modern airport and its user, the author reflects on architectural theories of Virilio’s Speed Theory and Biophilic Architecture, which may be applied to airport designs to create an even more humanistic experience. This thesis aims to explore inclusive and humanistic design approaches, that will not only benefit those on the autistic spectrum, but also the neurotypical and everyday traveller, so that the principles of humanism, inclusiveness, and kindness, can be brought into all planes of design.