Maison de l'autisme

The buildings of the former veterinary infirmary of the barracks of the Ecole Royale de la Gendarmerie in Ixelles, at the corner of Rue Juliette Wytsman and Rue Fritz Toussaint, are laid out in the shape of an enclosure, and provide the ideal circumstances to accommodate the House of Autism.

This centre is a response to the many challenges faced by people with autism and their families in accessing information and appropriate guidance. It aims to support initiatives, encourage encounters and peer support, and promote the self-determination of people with autism, regardless of where they find themselves on the autism spectrum.

The House of Autism’s programme consists of four missions: guidance, training, encounters and research, each of which has its place in one of the buildings, with the greatest respect for the heritage. The existing masonry has been preserved and insulated where necessary using bio-sourced materials with active capillary action. The layout and circulation plan makes optimal use of existing volumes without requiring major alterations or extensions. The different entities of the House of Autism have their own specific ambiences and are organised around the sensory garden, which provides a clear and independent distribution. This enclosed garden is an integral part of the House, an ‘elsewhere’, an organic blend of clarity and mystery, fluidity and reference points, curiosity and possibilities, stimuli and calm, focus and blur...

The success of the project lies in the delicate balance between opening up an intrinsically closed site – the repurposed barracks – to the world and preserving a rare refuge – a welcoming ‘safe space’. A form of ‘restorative’ inclusion legitimately aims to create spaces of chosen diversity dedicated precisely to those who are usually excluded, often involuntarily, from other spheres of society. By embracing

the ‘cloistered’ morphology of the building, which offers a protected atmosphere conducive to the fulfilment of its users, but the project is also connected to its neighbourhood through a breach in the surrounding wall that creates a visual link between the Rue Juliette Wytsman and the Usquare site. This breach marks an intuitive orientation axis and a clear address.

People with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) perceive, feel and interpret stimuli differently. Nooks and crannies offering sensory alternatives are scattered throughout the premises. These hideaways provide a reassuring presence that helps to modulate sensory perception. Acoustic treatment, lighting and textures have also been carefully considered. The spaces are not sterile; on the contrary, the architecture is designed to serve everyone, especially staff and carers, and aims to inspire enthusiasm and excitement among associations and families.