Kean Architecture Student Pursues Dream of Inclusive Architecture

Kean University architecture student Sean Santos is inspired by his neurodivergent brother to design inclusive architecture that serves the needs of all individuals. 

A first-generation student in his fourth year at Kean’s Michael Graves College School of Public Architecture, Santos is passionate about creating accessible spaces for everyone, including his brother, who is autistic and nonverbal.

“I think it is a problem that some people with disabilities can’t experience the architecture of a building as other people do,” Santos said. “I want to make an inclusive type of architecture where it's made for anyone no matter the disability.”

Santos said he began researching ways to accommodate people with developmental disabilities while working on a class project to design a day care center for children with autism. Thinking of his experiences with his brother, the project “hit close to home,” he said. Some ideas he researched include sensory friendly spaces, acoustic control, adaptive layouts, tactile and interactive design, and calm spaces and breakout rooms.

“One of my favorite things about architecture is there are so many options someone can take to leave an impact on the world,” Santos said.

An Asbury Park resident who transferred to Kean after graduating from Brookdale Community College with an associate degree in architectural science, Santos first became interested in architecture after working in construction with his father. Both of his parents are immigrants; Santos and his sister are the first generation in their family to go to college.

After graduation in May, he plans to continue at Michael Graves and earn his master’s degree in architecture.

Santos recently discussed his passion for inclusive design as a panelist in the AIA New Jersey – The New Jersey Society of Architects Hispanic Heritage Month program. He was joined by Assistant Professor Stephanie Sang Delgado, his fourth-year studio instructor. The panel included architecture students and faculty from Kean University and the New Jersey Institute of Technology.

“It was great to see everybody’s perspectives, how that emerges within their designs,” Sang Delgado said.

Sang Delgado also observed Santos' commitment to inclusive architecture during a recent site tour in Elizabeth, part of a class assignment to design a community food equity hub with spaces for growing produce, a food market and a commercial kitchen.

“Sean pays attention to the way we experience a building sensory-wise,” she said. “Is the environment loud? What is the climate? I can tell he has a certain kind of awareness.”

Craig Konyk, chair and associate professor of architecture at Michael Graves College, said one of the School of Public Architecture’s goals is for students to understand the impact they have on the communities they serve.

“Sean’s sensitivity to those who are sometimes marginalized due to design impediments and his desire to create a built environment that is inviting for everyone is so very admirable in a young professional,” Konyk said.