Architecture with autism in mind at Sweetwater Spectrum in Sonoma

For those living with autism and sensory disorders, the world can be too loud, too bright, too chaotic. But at Sweetwater Spectrum, every inch is considered to provide a place where residents can feel comfortable.

Neutral wall colors, high ceilings, durable appliances, light fixtures, sound-absorbing materials — these are all elements that go into the design at Sweetwater Spectrum. The buildings were crafted to be sensitive to the sensory experience of the person who will live there.

Two new houses were recently completed at the campus, and Executive Director Olivia Vain is excited for the new residents to move in and make them homes.

“This is a long-term house where you can work on being as independent as you want,” Vain said. “Sweetwater was built for this purpose — it was built for the purpose of being functional long-term for our residents.”

Construction on the new building started in May 2022, and was completed over the summer. With these new homes, Sweetwater will welcome four more residents, bringing its total number up to 20 on Fifth Street West.

The homes were built by Landers Curry, and interior design was done by Christine Curry, both local agencies that understand Sweetwater’s unique needs.

The new homes each have two bedrooms, a living room, kitchen and a smaller third room for a caretaker, should a resident require extra support at any time. The walls are a soft white, and the high ceiling allow for pools of natural light without the harshness of direct sunlight washing down onto the floor.

The homes are open concept, an important factor when it comes to moving from one room to another. Everything has a purpose — with an ultimate goal to be pleasing to the senses.

“Transitioning to a new space for a person with autism can be difficult,” Vain said. “So being able to see where you’re going can really help.”

The openness of the spaces also makes them easily accessible by wheelchair, which the bathrooms are outfitted to accommodate. Each resident has their own bathroom, and there’s an additional communal restroom located just off the living room.

The closets are large and easily accessible, with low shelves and an open design.

One of the most noticeable design elements is the quietness they offer. Despite the open space, hardwood floors, high ceilings and proximity to busy roads, sound does not carry or bounce off walls, preserving tranquility in the home.

The designers were able to accomplish this using specific wall angles, flooring material and high-quality windows.

Known as the “eyes of the home,” the windows bring soft light into the interior. Fluorescent or direct lighting is not prominent. In the bedrooms, residents can opt to use light strips that snake around the perimeter of the ceiling to avoid harsh overhead brightness. Most of the lighting options are also outfitter with a dimmer, so users have full control.

Residents at Sweetwater get to furnish the homes themselves, which Vain says helps them feel cozy and comfortable. Parents often recreate the room their child had at home, to offer an easier transition into an operation that helps autistic adults transition from their family home into the real world.

“You don’t want to create a space that feels like an institution,” Vain said. “I like to think of the community and the entire property itself as an extension on their homes.”

The Sweetwater campus features a community room, a gym, a pool gardens, lots of plants, places to sit outside in the shade and walk around. They recently completed construction on a new shade structure that’s meant to act as an outdoor community space where they can host events and classes.

Even the gym equipment is carefully selected to ensure they get the safest and quietest machines that still offer effective workouts. The gym is located just off the community room, which is neutral with a bright blue couch and yellow accents, design touches that residents helped pick out.

The campus is so intentionally designed for its community that it was featured in an educational video on disability compliance for architecture students to gain a better understanding of how to properly create an accessible space for those on the autism spectrum.

Though the homes were designed specifically for Sweetwater’s community, but by any standard, they are simply gorgeous with their clean aesthetics. With white marble countertops that are easy to clean and look great spread across the kitchen, it’s easy to see how the residents at Sweetwater make these architectural magazine houses into homes.

The nonprofit first opened its residences in 2013 and maintains a large waiting list as so many young adults with autism are looking for their next steps after leaving their childhood home.

You can reach Staff Writer Rebecca Wolff at rebecca.wolff@sonomanews.com. On Twitter @bexwolff.