Explore how Dubai and Bengaluru airports are setting new standards in neurodiverse-friendly travel through sensory design, digital tools, and inclusive architecture.
An architourist’s exploration of design rooted in empathy and accessibility
Airports are rarely synonymous with calm. For most travellers, they’re loud, hectic, and overstimulating—a gauntlet of sensory inputs. For neurodivergent individuals, particularly those with autism, the intensity can transform travel into a deeply stressful experience.
As an architourist, I seek out places where design transcends aesthetics—where architecture becomes a tool for empathy. On recent visits to Dubai International Airport (DXB) and Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport (BLR), I witnessed two compelling, culturally distinct approaches to inclusive travel. Though separated by geography and scale, both airports are reimagining how public infrastructure can respond to neurodiverse needs—through thoughtful design, human-centred tech, and sensory-aware planning.
Dubai International Airport (DXB): Designing at Global Scale
At DXB, I arrived expecting grandeur—and got it. Terminal 3 is a sci-fi dream: gleaming steel, colossal spans, and immaculate efficiency. But beneath the spectacle lies a quieter triumph—accessibility embedded into the architecture, not bolted on as an afterthought.
The World’s First Autism-Certified International Airport
In December 2023, DXB earned the distinction of being the world’s first Certified Autism Centre™ from the IBCCES. It’s a status earned not by design alone, but by orchestrating an ecosystem of empathy—where signage, staff training, and services all speak the same inclusive language.
The Sunflower Lanyard: Quiet Visibility
At help desks in all terminals, travellers can request sunflower lanyards—a discreet but powerful signal that the wearer may need extra support. What impressed me most was the seamless integration of these identifiers into the airport’s flow. "Autism Friendly Route" signs—marked with sunflower icons—guide passengers through check-in, security, and boarding. The wayfinding is bold yet elegant, offering predictability, a crucial comfort for autistic individuals.
Digital Planning Tools: UX Meets Travel
DXB also shines in its digital offerings. The Travel Planner—a visual, step-by-step journey guide—felt like navigating a well-designed app: clean, intuitive, and respectful of diverse processing needs. Emirates’ Travel Safari, expanded to 17 cities by 2024, allows children with autism to rehearse airport journeys in advance. It’s the design-world equivalent of user testing—a proactive way to reduce anxiety by increasing familiarity.
The Assisted Travel Lounge: A Sensory Haven
In Terminal 2, I stepped into the Assisted Travel Lounge and immediately felt the sensory shift. Muted lighting, sound-absorbing finishes, and soft, tactile furniture created an atmosphere of calm—not unlike dark mode for physical space. It echoed current research in neuroarchitectural design, which prioritises sensory neutrality and adaptive comfort.
Emirates: Extending Inclusion In-Flight
The design ethic doesn’t end on the ground. In January 2025, Emirates became the world’s first Autism Certified Airline™, with 30,000+ staff trained in autism support. Sensory kits onboard, autism-friendly media on the ice system, and crew sensitivity elevate the flying experience into something genuinely humane.
Kempegowda International Airport (BLR): A Biophilic Response in India
By contrast, Bengaluru’s Kempegowda Airport (BLR) offers an entirely different—yet equally vital—interpretation of accessibility. Terminal 2, inaugurated in 2023, is a biophilic masterpiece. Lush green walls, bamboo textures, and natural light transform the airport into a meditative forest walk. This isn’t just good design—it’s a sensory strategy.
Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport introduces India’s first sensory room for neurodivergent passengers
In March 2025, BLR introduced India’s first airport sensory room, developed in collaboration with Incluzza, a disability inclusion organisation. Tucked near the 080 International Lounge, it’s a thoughtfully curated space with adjustable lighting, interactive projections, ball pits, and sensory toys—an architectural UX lab for the nervous system.
Research suggests that even 15–30 minutes in such sensory-adaptive spaces can significantly reduce travel stress. As I lingered inside, I felt it too: a clarity of mind, a drop in background tension. It’s design that meets people where they are, rather than forcing them to adapt.
Progress in Motion
BLR’s journey isn’t without its setbacks. A 2023 incident involving an autistic teenager’s denied boarding made national headlines—but also became a catalyst for change. The airport responded by creating a Disability Inclusion Office and ramping up staff training. Still, digital tools remain a gap—BLR lacks the preparatory resources that DXB excels in. A mobile-friendly sensory guide or pre-visit simulation could be the next leap forward.
Two Models of Inclusive Design
Comparing the two, DXB feels like a fully optimised platform—systemic, integrated, and forward-thinking. BLR, meanwhile, is like a beautifully crafted niche app—intentional, sensory-focused, but not yet scaled to the full user journey.
What connects them is a commitment to user-friendly environments. Both airports reflect emerging global principles: predictability, sensory control, visual clarity, and above all, respect for neurodiversity.
Final Boarding Call: Design as Empathy
As an architourist, what I discovered in Dubai and Bengaluru wasn’t just infrastructure—it was architecture shaped by care. These airports are reminders that inclusion begins long before the boarding gate—in the floor plans, the signs, the lanyards, and the quiet rooms where a child can breathe easier.
Inclusive design isn’t an upgrade. It’s the baseline for a world where everyone deserves to move freely—without fear, confusion, or overload. Whether through lush sensory rooms or seamless digital walkthroughs, DXB and BLR are lighting the runway for airports everywhere.
✈️ Have you experienced inclusive design in an airport or public space? Share your reflections—I’d love to hear your thoughts on how travel can become more welcoming for all.
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#AutismFriendly #InclusiveDesign #Neurodiversity #UserFriendlyTravel #EmpathyInDesign
Copyright © 2025 [Ar. Pallavi Vasekar]
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