Sweetwater Spectrum’s community courtyard in the evening.
Photographer: Tim Griffith/Courtesy of Leddy Maytum Stacy Architects
Creating More Accessible, Inclusive Buildings
As the U.S. debates where to invest in infrastructure, architects and disability advocates say the principles of universal design will benefit everyone.
Sweetwater Spectrum sits on almost three acres, four blocks west of downtown Sonoma, in California’s wine country. It is a zen-like campus, with an organic garden, pool and wide pathways connecting a series of low-rise buildings decorated in neutral colors and sporting acoustical ceilings, motion detectors for lighting and soundproof walls. Floors have both heating and cooling.
The design minimizes noise and sensory stimulation for the 16 adults with autism who call Sweetwater home. The residential buildings have individual bedrooms to foster independence and communal kitchens and living rooms to support community engagement. The library is stocked with books; food grown in the garden and greenhouse is eaten on campus and sold locally; and the community center hosts programs, all to support a “life with purpose.”