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Kirima Isler, CPABE L1

Kirima Isler, CPABE L1

Design Strategist

Gensler Architecture & Design (Canada)

Kirima Isler, CPABE L1, is a strategist at Gensler with over five years’ experience specializing in accessibility and inclusive design for architectural and design projects across various sectors. Kirima’s work ranges from building inclusive design guidelines, to performing accessibility assessments of existing workplaces, to reviewing project work throughout the design process to assess its alignment with inclusive design goals. With a background in History and Peace & Conflict Research, Kirima approaches design as a tangible way to address patterns of exclusion and inequity in our everyday practices and built environment and leverages her background in research to champion experience-based strategies throughout the design process.

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    It is undeniable that our world is made up of people with different sizes, shapes, levels of mobility, sensory needs, variations in cognitive processing and communication styles as well as cultural backgrounds and practices. Yet, as an industry, we have only recently begun to ramp up our efforts to design for these underserved populations more meaningfully within our public and workspaces through Inclusive Design efforts. Inclusive Design focuses on "one size fits one" through flexibility and choice to create environments that are healthier, safer, easier, more convenient, and more comfortable for everyone. To this end, it is important to investigate whether the choices and degree of flexibility provided are good choices and for whom. This program will take a deeper dive into Inclusive Design strategies for neurodivergent people, with a focus on sensory design. Knowing that an estimated 15-20% of the global population exhibits some form of neurodivergence and knowing that the prevalence of neurodiversity is only expected to rise, it's increasingly critical to understand how all spaces could be more inclusive of those who are neurodivergent. Research tells us that for many who are neurodivergent, spatial stimuli can contribute to either stress and anxiety or support focus and productivity. We'll explore differences in the ways we process information in our environments and the implications for built space. As an industry, we've only just started to uncover the impact of our design decisions on the experiences of those who are neurodivergent. We'll highlight current gaps in interior design, review sensory-based design strategies for addressing those gaps, and discuss where we believe the future of designing for neurodiversity is headed. Attendees will walk away from the program with a better understanding of Inclusive Design strategies, through the lens of sensory design, to create more effective spaces for ALL. *In-person sessions will be recorded and available on-demand starting Monday, June 17