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. Registration below.
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.

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