A training apartment is a place where people on the autism spectrum can develop their life and social skills and learn independence.
A chance for independence
The interior is being built on Kapitańska Street in Szczecin. It is the first apartment of its kind in the city. It can accommodate up to three wards and as many trainers at a time. This is a chance for many people on the autism spectrum to have a better life. Here they will learn to cook, clean, manage a household budget and much more. As a result, they will be able to take more confident steps on the road to independence. The training apartment also offers parents a chance to relax, as they know their child is in a safe place under the care of specialists. The project was created by Dominika Zawojska-Kuriata, PhD, and Katarzyna Mularczyk, MA, from the Faculty of Interior Design and Scenography at the Academy of Art in Szczecin.
- For adults on the autism spectrum, it is important to provide social support, professional therapeutic assistance and to be in environments that accept diversity and promote inclusion. Educating the public about the autism spectrum is also important to increase understanding and acceptance. That's why the cooperation on the interior design of the training apartment was undertaken on our part," says Dr. Dominika Zawojska-Kuriata.
The training apartment is a chance for people on the autism spectrum to become independent
Design: Dominika Zawojska-Kuriata, Katarzyna Mularczyk
Space tailored to needs
Creating such spaces involves a number of specific requirements and challenges. The apartments must meet both the needs of people on the autism spectrum as they enter adulthood and provide support for their families. The apartment's layout is intuitive. As a result, the wards can move around in it freely and find the various rooms easily. A key issue is the clear demarcation of individual zones, e.g. for relaxation, study, cooking or therapy. The architects used durable materials and equipment that minimizes the risk of injury.
Bedrooms can be personalized
Design: Dominika Zawojska-Kuriata, Katarzyna Mularczyk
- As a person on the autism spectrum reaches adulthood, parents must adjust their role from caregivers to support partners. This means shifting responsibility to the person with autism and allowing him or her to make their own decisions, this is, among other things, a contributor to the creation of training apartments, where people on the program will have the opportunity to learn some independence. Also important is the aspect of relieving the burden on the parent himself, providing some kind of respite for the duration of the child's stay in the apartment, the project's author stresses.
Care and learning
Professional staff is available on site to provide therapeutic and training support. For this reason, the project includes a specialized office. Individual consultations can take place there, as well as meetings with parents and therapy.
The apartment includes an office
Design: Dominika Zawojska-Kuriata, Katarzyna Mularczyk
The bedrooms are designed to provide privacy and personalization of the space. The living room with dining room is intended to be a meeting place. This is where residents will spend time together and eat meals. Therefore, ergonomic and durable furnishings were selected.
The living room is a place to spend time together
Design: Dominika Zawojska-Kuriata, Katarzyna Mularczyk
The kitchen was arranged so that the wards could learn to cook. So there is plenty of space for preparing meals and only safe equipment.
In the kitchen the wards will learn to cook
Design: Dominika Zawojska-Kuriata, Katarzyna Mularczyk
The bathroom ensures safety and hygiene. Here, the architects used handles and surfaces that are easy to keep clean, as well as non-slip floors. A storage room was also created in the apartment to store equipment, documentation and training materials.
In the bathroom, a number of solutions have been used to ensure safety
Design: Dominika Zawojska-Kuriata, Katarzyna Mularczyk
- Introducing respite housing as part of a program to support families not only has short-term benefits, but can also significantly improve a family's long-term ability to cope with the challenges of autism. By providing the right tools, skills and support, this program can enhance a family's ability to self-manage the care of a person with autism. For me as an interior designer, understanding and learning about such a broad topic was an extremely interesting professional challenge. I had the opportunity, together with KTA in Szczecin, to visit a training apartment in Koszalin, which broadened my view of how such spaces function," recalls the Dean of the Faculty of Interior Design and Scenography at the Academy of Art in Szczecin.
The rooms were designed to provide the wards with privacy
Design: Dominika Zawojska-Kuriata, Katarzyna Mularczyk
Help create housing for people on the autism spectrum
The main challenges in creating training apartments are financial resources. The costs of adapting the space to the needs of the wards and maintaining them are much higher than for standard interiors. The current state of the apartment on Kapitanska Street requires urgent renovation work. If you want to support the implementation of this project, you can pay money to the collection organized by the National Autism Society Szczecin branch - account PEKAO S.A IV/O Szczecin 37 1240 3930 1111 0000 4228 8512.
The apartment uses durable materials and equipment to minimize the risk of injury
Design: Dominika Zawojska-Kuriata, Katarzyna Mularczyk
Are you decorating your apartment? We have more inspiration for you!
Compiled by:KATARZYNA SZOSTAK
