New Standards – Neurodiversity / Ab Rogers, Christian Boer and Helen Kane


New Standards will identify and confront some of the barriers to architecture, its education and practice, and consider how these can be overcome to embrace wider forms of creativity. Each event in the series will address the idea of comfort to challenge the idea of ‘standards’ as a bare minimum or one-size-fits-all approach. Together, we will question how we might better provide comfort in all its nuanced forms.

The third event in this series will focus on how we can embrace the potential of neurodiversity to broaden creative practices. Architect Ab Rogers will share experiences of being a dyslexic designer, offering insight into a design career with a neuro-diverse slant by covering the importance of experimentation, education, being hands on and believing in your medium. Graphic designer Christian Boer, creator of the Dyslexie font will describe the unlearning of graphic design rules required to create the accessible typeface and the impact this has had on how people perceive text in the world around them. Helen Kane will discuss the new Design for the Mind standards, highlight neuroscience findings, and share her experiences of neurodiversity influenced design – such as trauma informed design.

The conversation will take place around a communal table to facilitate an open and comfortable discussion between the presenters and attendees. Free food and drink will be available throughout the evening.

AB ROGERS (he/him)is a London-based designer known for a wide-ranging practice informed by his unique imagination. He founded Ab Rogers Design (ARD), in 2004 and it has since become an established studio specializing in the design of small spaces and for experiential design projects that are dynamic and rigorous, enriched with colour and narrative, while providing a high level of functionality and subtlety in design.

CHRISTIAN BOER (he/him) has been challenged by dyslexia as long as he can remember, which made him decide to use his graduation project for the HKU (University of the Arts Utrecht) to find a solution to improve the readability for people with dyslexia. He decided, as a graduate of graphic design, to research how the shape of letters could increase the readability for people with dyslexia.

HELEN KANE (she/her) is an access consultant / surveyor who relishes the potential of the newly published neurodiversity design standards (PAS 6463). With lived experience of neurodivergence, Helen’s practice, Neuro By Design, opens design conversations to enable clients to capture potential, talent, relaxation, splendour and awards in the built environment.

This event will have British Sign Language interpretation. Ramps will be in place to enable access to the AA buildings. A quiet room will be available. In order to enable those still vulnerable to Covid-19 to safely attend the event, we encourage everyone attending to wear masks where possible. Please do not attend if you feel unwell and are experiencing any symptoms. The room will be well-ventilated and have areas of distanced seating.

Please get in touch to let us know of any additional access requirements that you might have and how we can best accommodate these. If you are unable to attend physically but would like to participate in the event remotely please email [email protected]

The New Standards event series is organised by the AA Public Programme team with special thanks to Jordan Whitewood-Neal for the conversation, collaboration and guidance.

The interpretation of this content was recorded live and may contain errors due to the live nature of the content, speakers and prep materials provided. Please keep this in mind when watching

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