design+autism

Sometimes you redesign life, and sometimes life redesigns you. No one knows that better than the Farmer family. In 1994, Kip and his wife, Maria, welcomed their first of three wonderful boys. The early concerns of young parents that something just "wasn't right" slowly deteriorated into the heartbreak known as autism.

Jackson Farmer is a beautiful and loving child, who is on the more severe end of the autism "spectrum." Jackson struggles daily with significant deficits in communication and socialization. He is plagued with unpredictably violent behaviors. Although the obstacles are great, his spirit shines through the disability. "There is no shortage of joy from life with Jackson," says his father. "The challenge comes from watching him suffer."

When Jackson was born, approximately one in every 2,500 children delivered had the disability. Today, that statistic is one in 110 children one in 70 boys (source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). This is a staggering fact that touches many of us today and will soon impact our culture as a whole.

Currently, the cause of autism is unknown; and there is no cure. To answer the significant sensory, and safety needs of those with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Kip launched the charitable design firm, design+autism in 2008. To date, the firm has addressed the environmental needs of those with ASD across the country and abroad.

Learn more about design+autism here.