October 28-30, 2026 |
Kansas City, MO

REGISTER EXHIBIT
Q
Back to Schedule
Thu Oct 29•9:30 AM – 10:30 AM

Interactive Therapeutic Design: A Sensory Exploration of Neurodiverse Learning Environments

EDsession (60 minutes in classrooms)TRACK 2: Designing for the Human Experience — Wellbeing, inclusion, safety, and human performance

One in five students is neurodivergent, yet most environments ignore the nervous system. Are we designing schools from the wrong end? Grounded in occupational therapy and neurosensory science, this session introduces a bottom-up approach to designing for regulation before academic performance. Through research and interactive experiences, participants will learn to create inclusive neuroaffirming environments that support both student learning and educator well-being. Let's design spaces that center regulation, unlock participation, and elevate education. 

Speakers

Amanda Perches
Amanda PerchesFounder of Sensational Spaces, Sensational Spaces

More Information

Tags:Group C
Allow Registration:No
Capacity Unlimited:No
Indicate how the topic is applicable to Health, Safety, Welfare (HSW) Design credits.:This session qualifies for Health, Safety, and Welfare (HSW) credit as it addresses how the built environment directly impacts occupant health, safety, and well-being through neuroscience-informed design. Participants will learn how sensory factors such as acoustics, lighting, spatial layout, and material selection influence nervous system regulation, attention, and behavior. The session emphasizes designing environments that reduce sensory overload, improve emotional regulation, and enhance accessibility for neurodiverse populations. By applying these principles, attendees will be better equipped to create safe, inclusive, and supportive learning environments that promote both student and educator well-being.
Learner Engagement:This session is designed as an interactive, experiential learning experience grounded in adult learning principles of relevance, active participation, and immediate application. This session will combine lecture-style format with participant engagement in brief, structured sensory simulations that allow them to momentarily experience how environmental factors such as noise, lighting, and visual input disrupt regulation, attention, and processing. Attendees will apply concepts in real time through guided reflection and small-group discussion, analyzing case studies and identifying design solutions they can implement in their own projects. Visual examples and before-and-after scenarios will support practical translation of ideas into action. Participants will also be invited to evaluate a sample learning environment using a neuroscience-informed framework, reinforcing learning through application. These strategies ensure the content is engaging, relevant, and directly transferable to professional practice.
Learning Objective 1:Demonstrate how nervous system regulation impacts attention, behavior, and academic performance in learning environments.

Related Sessions

Wed Oct 28•12:30 PM – 2:00 PM

WORKSHOP: Play is Serious Work: Neuro-informed Design for Learning

Educational environments are often designed for an “average” learner, …Educational environments are often designed for an “average” learner, yet no such learner exists. This session demonstrates how play-based, biophilic, and neurodiverse-informed design strategies can improve behavior, focus, emotional safety, and well…Educational environments are often designed for an “average” learner, yet no such learner exists. This session demonstrates how play-based, biophilic, and neurodiverse-informed design strategies can improve behavior, focus, emotional safety, and well-being. Presenters including the Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations, Architect, and Interior Designer, share how the Bright Futures Preschool transformed an underutiliz…Educational environments are often designed for an “average” learner, yet no such learner exists. This session demonstrates how play-based, biophilic, and neurodiverse-informed design strategies can improve behavior, focus, emotional safety, and well-being. Presenters including the Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations, Architect, and Interior Designer, share how the Bright Futures Preschool transformed an underutilized building into a flexible, high-performing learning environment. Attendees will explore strategies such as sensory-conscious materials, zoning, daylighting, acoustics, and play-based layouts, and leave with practical frameworks for aligning educational vision with inclusive design execution across early learning, K-12, positioning neurodiversity as a driver of better outcomes for students, staff, and communities.Show MoreClick the title to see all detailsShow More

Workshop (90 minutes)Session TypeTRACK 2: Designing for the Human Experience — Wellbeing, inclusion, safety, and human performanceSession Track
Monique Taylor
Bryan Archibald
Kelsey Jordan
Monique Taylor
Monique TaylorSenior Interior Designer I Sustainability Coordinator, Legat Architects
Bryan Archibald
Bryan ArchibaldSenior Associate I Studio Director, Legat Architects
Kelsey Jordan
Kelsey JordanAssociate Director of PreK-12, Legat Architects
Monique Taylor
Monique TaylorSenior Interior Designer I Sustainability Coordinator, Legat Architects
Bryan Archibald
Bryan ArchibaldSenior Associate I Studio Director, Legat Architects
Kelsey Jordan
Kelsey JordanAssociate Director of PreK-12, Legat Architects
Tags:Group D
Allow Registration:No
Capacity Unlimited:No
Indicate how the topic is applicable to Health, Safety, Welfare (HSW) Design credits.:n/a
Learner Engagement:Participants will explore the Bright Futures Preschool transformation through interactive case studies, sensory experience stations, and small-group design challenges. Attendees will test materials, daylighting, acoustics, and play-based layouts, collaborate on inclusive design exercises, and hear directly from district leaders and design experts. Through reflection and discussion, participants leave with practical frameworks for aligning educational vision with neurodiverse-informed, flexible, and human-centered learning environments that improve student well-being and community impact.
Learning Objective 1:Apply neurodiverse, play-based, and neuroscience-informed design strategies across early learning, K–12, and higher education environments, using adaptable, real-world examples to support diverse sensory, cognitive, and social needs.
Wed Oct 28•2:30 PM – 3:30 PM

Collective Foundations: How Community Voice Shapes the Modern School

How can community input become embodied in school architecture to supp…How can community input become embodied in school architecture to support wellbeing and authentically reflect the community? At Omaha's Westside Community Schools; community, teacher and student voices guided inclusive design processes. Join the Arch…How can community input become embodied in school architecture to support wellbeing and authentically reflect the community? At Omaha's Westside Community Schools; community, teacher and student voices guided inclusive design processes. Join the Architect, School Principal, and Owner's Representative to reflect on a data-driven design process. Through interactive slide surveys and small-group discussions, this multi-disciplinary panel will share …How can community input become embodied in school architecture to support wellbeing and authentically reflect the community? At Omaha's Westside Community Schools; community, teacher and student voices guided inclusive design processes. Join the Architect, School Principal, and Owner's Representative to reflect on a data-driven design process. Through interactive slide surveys and small-group discussions, this multi-disciplinary panel will share actionable frameworks for using research and engagement to create future-ready learning ecosystems over four school projects.Show MoreClick the title to see all detailsShow More

EDsession (60 minutes in classrooms)Session TypeTRACK 2: Designing for the Human Experience — Wellbeing, inclusion, safety, and human performanceSession Track
Cleveland Reeves
Garret Higginbotham
Matt Herzog
Cynthia Ray
Cleveland Reeves
Cleveland ReevesPrincipal Architect, BVH Architecture
Garret Higginbotham
Garret HigginbothamSchool Principal, Rockbrook Elementary School/Westside Community Schools
Matt Herzog
Matt HerzogPrincipal / Owner's Representative, Project Advocates
Cynthia Ray
Cynthia RayInterior Designer, BVH Architecture
Cleveland Reeves
Cleveland ReevesPrincipal Architect, BVH Architecture
Garret Higginbotham
Garret HigginbothamSchool Principal, Rockbrook Elementary School/Westside Community Schools
Matt Herzog
Matt HerzogPrincipal / Owner's Representative, Project Advocates
Cynthia Ray
Cynthia RayInterior Designer, BVH Architecture
Tags:Group A
Allow Registration:No
Capacity Unlimited:No
Indicate how the topic is applicable to Health, Safety, Welfare (HSW) Design credits.:Learning objective 1 addresses inclusivity & wellbeing, learning objective 2 addresses human performance and learning objective 3 addresses emotional security. All of these were addressed in multiple ways through the various community engagment methods, and the design result that followed. Our surveys that will be shared also directly addressed these and other HSW topics that will illustrate design input and post-occupancy survey results as well.
Learner Engagement:At a minimum, this session will include live audience engagement slides (ie: slido interaction), as well as small group conversation and report back. Other methods may be included as we develop the final engagement.
Learning Objective 1:Analyze how student and teacher input can drive the design of learning environments that promote inclusivity, social-emotional wellbeing, and a school community's unique culture.
Thu Oct 29•8:00 AM – 9:00 AM

Building a Sense of Belonging on a College Campus

Belonging isn't just a feeling, it's a design challenge. As college ca…Belonging isn't just a feeling, it's a design challenge. As college campuses face mounting pressure to improve student retention, support staff wellbeing, and serve an increasingly diverse population, the physical environment has emerged as one of th…Belonging isn't just a feeling, it's a design challenge. As college campuses face mounting pressure to improve student retention, support staff wellbeing, and serve an increasingly diverse population, the physical environment has emerged as one of the most powerful and underutilized tools available. This presentation brings together a higher education practitioner and a furniture industry expert, both with deep roots in student affairs and a shar…Belonging isn't just a feeling, it's a design challenge. As college campuses face mounting pressure to improve student retention, support staff wellbeing, and serve an increasingly diverse population, the physical environment has emerged as one of the most powerful and underutilized tools available. This presentation brings together a higher education practitioner and a furniture industry expert, both with deep roots in student affairs and a shared history working at Swarthmore College, in Pennsylvania, to explore how the spaces we plan, specify, and build actively shape or undermine a student's sense of belonging on campus. Grounded in student development theory and translated into practical design language, attendees will examine how furniture, fixtures, equipment, and spatial configuration can transform a campus from a place students attend to a place they belong. With real-world examples drawn from multiple campus environments, this session gives designers, planners, and facilities professionals the framework and vocabulary to make the case for spaces that truly work for every student.Show MoreClick the title to see all detailsShow More

EDsession (60 minutes in classrooms)Session TypeTRACK 2: Designing for the Human Experience — Wellbeing, inclusion, safety, and human performanceSession Track
Katie Clark
Katie ClarkHigher Education Market Manager, KI
Isaiah Thomas
Isaiah ThomasAssociate Dean of Students & Director of Residential Education, Housing Services, and Student Conduct, Occidental College
Tags:Group E
Allow Registration:No
Capacity Unlimited:No
Indicate how the topic is applicable to Health, Safety, Welfare (HSW) Design credits.:This session qualifies for Health, Safety, and Welfare credit under the human health and wellness category. The presentation directly addresses the intersection of the built environment and mental health outcomes in higher education, a recognized public health concern. It draws on data from the American Psychological Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Mayo Clinic documenting a national crisis in student mental health, and connects those outcomes to specific evidence-informed spatial strategies. Learning objectives address how physical spaces can mitigate the psychological risks of non-belonging — including impostor syndrome, stereotype threat, and social isolation — and how designers can apply trauma-informed design principles, sensory-aware environments, and universal inclusion strategies to reduce harm and support the health and performance of all campus community members. At least three of the four learning objectives address HSW principles, including inclusive design beyond ADA compliance, wellness-supportive space typologies, and the connection between belonging and measurable health outcomes.
Learner Engagement:1. Small-group discussion early in the session where attendees share a campus space that made them feel or not feel like they belonged, drawing on their own experience before introducing theory. 2. A live "space audit" activity midway through, where attendees use a simple belonging framework from the presentation to evaluate a campus space image projected on screen, generating peer-to-peer dialogue about design decisions.
Learning Objective 1:Translate key belonging theories and student development frameworks (Maslow, Tinto, impostor syndrome, and stereotype threat) into design criteria that campus planners, architects, and interior designers can apply across project types.