DU IT is proud to present the new Andrea Bodo multisensory room, inaugurated at the SpazioTempo Multipurpose Centre in Vercelli. This environment has been designed for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) with the aim of stimulating the senses, promoting emotional well-being and supporting the regulation of emotions and attention. The project was made possible thanks to the support of Biud10 and in collaboration with ANGSA Novara-Vercelli, an association that supports over 70 children in therapy.

What makes a multisensory room special?

Multisensory rooms (MSEs) provide a safe and controlled environment where children and young people can explore visual, auditory, tactile and olfactory stimuli in a personalised way. Coloured lights, sounds, projections, tactile surfaces and natural scents help to reduce stress and anxiety, improve concentration and promote discovery, play and positive interaction.

A project developed together with users

DU IT first designed the Andrea Bodo multisensory room in 2017; after almost ten years, a new space has been inaugurated that incorporates the lessons learned from the previous project.

Co-design with autistic people is still uncommon, especially with non-verbal users. People with ASD perceive and interact with their environment in unique ways, and this affects their experience and participation. Previous studies, such as that by Gaudion (2013), have shown that taking into account the sensory preferences of autistic people, including non-verbal individuals, can transform the design process through empathy.

For this reason, DU IT involved people with ASD from the very first project, gathering information on sensory preferences and collecting feedback on the renderings of the designed spaces. The main challenges were to engage users and respond to the wide individual differences in terms of sensory sensitivity, motor skills and communication modes.

To overcome these difficulties, the room has been designed as a flexible and customisable environment: children can modulate stimuli via a digital interface, adjusting lights, sounds and other elements according to their needs, while operators can create tailor-made therapeutic programmes.

The three areas of the room

The Andrea Bodo multisensory room is organised into three main areas, each with specific functions:

Sensory exploration area

As soon as they enter, children find themselves in an open, bright space with games and interactive panels. An interactive game called Duitster guides them in discovering their different senses, associating colours and specific stimuli, promoting curiosity, attention and motor coordination. Here, the senses are activated directly:

• Touch: different surfaces and fabrics, from faux fur to faux leather fringes, invite you to explore and manipulate objects;

• Sight: augmented reality videos project familiar and reassuring images, such as soap bubbles, kites or colourful umbrellas moving across the sky;

• Hearing: buttons activate relaxing or energising sounds, chosen to modulate children’s emotions;

• Smell: thin strips of paper impregnated with natural fragrances stimulate the sense of smell in a pleasant way.

Immersive area

The second area is designed as a small immersive nest:

• the sloping walls reflect the projected images, creating an immersive effect;

• the six-speaker audio system offers an immersive sound experience, with vibrations transmitted through a wooden platform, allowing you to feel the music with your whole body.

• This combination of sounds, images and vibrations promotes concentration, relaxation and integrated multisensory perception.

Soft area and shelter

The third area is designed as a safe and welcoming place where children can retreat to relax:

• softness and comfort: the walls are fully padded and there is a large, enveloping pouf in the centre;

• motor skills game: a small climbing wall and a pool of soft cubes allow children to move around safely, stimulating coordination and spatial awareness;

• relaxation and sounds: wireless headphones allow you to listen to music, while a waterfall creates natural sounds, promoting calm and concentration.

This space allows visitors to experience proprioception, relaxation and self-regulation, while maintaining a visual and auditory connection with the other areas, so as to anticipate the discovery of subsequent stimuli.

Technology and customisation

A digital system manages and personalises the multisensory experience. Using a tablet, children can choose scenarios that integrate lights, sounds and videos, adjusting the intensity and colours according to their needs. At the same time, operators can create personalised therapeutic programmes for each child, making the room a flexible and powerful tool for educational and rehabilitation work.

Experiences and benefits

The children who tried out the room reported positive and meaningful experiences: warm lighting, natural sounds and tactile stimuli encouraged moments of relaxation, focus and enjoyment in discovery. As V. said during the co-design phase: ‘It’s the first time my brain has been able to take a break,’ while others emphasised the importance of being able to control and personalise the environment according to their tastes and needs.

The Andrea Bodo multisensory room is much more than just a therapy room: it is a welcoming, safe and stimulating environment designed to promote the growth, well-being and independence of children with ASD. Thanks to the integration of design, technology and neuropsychiatric knowledge, the room offers children and carers a unique tool for exploring, relaxing and experiencing the world in a positive way.