6th International Neurodiversity & the Built Environment Symposium: Building Empathy

Marking its sixth year, the International Neurodiversity & the Built Environment Symposium explores how design can honor diverse sensory, cognitive, and relational experiences. This year's theme, Building Empathy, invites cross-disciplinary practitioners, researchers, artists, and self-advocates to rethink how environments can support dignity, agency, and belonging. The symposium examines how empathetic, art-informed approaches can move beyond accommodation toward more caring, collaborative, and human-centered futures.

This year builds on the momentum of our previous symposia—FALL 2020: Building Community & Rethinking the Built Environment, FALL 2021: Immersive Experiences, FALL 2022: PlaceMaking, SPRING 2024: Intentional Connections, and SPRING 2025: Interdependence in Action. Together, these cross-disciplinary gatherings foster international dialogue among neurodivergent individuals, communities, advocacy groups, and professionals across design, health, art, and technology.

Presented by the Synesthetic Research and Design Lab, College of Architecture & the Built Environment, in collaboration with the Jefferson Health Center for Autism and Neurodiversity. The event is generously sponsored by Cigna Healthcare, Heckendorn Shiles Architects (HSA), HOK, and Perkins&Will.

We invite all participants to join us for the in-person reception event the evening before the Symposium to meet and cross-pollinate.

Thursday, March 26, 2026 — 6:00 - 9:00 PM EST: Opening Reception at The Landing Lounge (617 Righters Ferry Road, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004)
The dinner reception is free for all symposium registrants. - We have reached max capacity for the opening reception.
Voluntary contributions help us keep this event accessible and support future programming.
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Friday, March 27, 2026 — 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM EST: Symposium at East Falls, DEC Center 211/212
Format: Hybrid. In-person at Thomas Jefferson University (East Falls Campus, DEC Center, 2nd Floor, Rooms 211/212) and Virtual (zoom webinar link to be shared to registrants at a later date). Free registration below.
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Voluntary contributions help us keep this event accessible and support future programming. Please consider a gift of any amount.

Registration is closed.