People experiencing sensory overload will soon have a space to help them de-stress in the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport’s planned sensory-friendly spaces.
The Metropolitan Airports Commission recently announced plans to add sensory-friendly rooms with the help of non-profit Fraser to design the spaces. The rooms will be built as expansion areas to terminals one and two by 2028.
St. Cloud State University Psychology professor Michele Traub said there is a whole range of sensory processing disorders and conditions that lead to either over-stimulation or under-stimulation, which means people receive sensory input and process it differently.
Traub said people with autism or other sensory processing difficulties are sometimes more sensitive to stimuli — sounds, lights and textures — and can not easily tune these feelings out.
“Everything just sounds a little bit louder or looks a little bit brighter,” Traub said. “But also they might struggle with tuning out some of the extraneous stimuli and focusing on what they’re supposed to be doing.”
Traub said having a space where some of those stimuli are filtered out can help some people properly regulate their feelings when an environment is too loud and busy.
“I know I get overstimulated at the airport,” Traub said. “I think we’ve all experienced a level of anxiety when traveling and it’s unfamiliar. It’s nerve-wracking.”
Occupational therapist at Fraser Gina Brady said future spaces in the airport will be geared toward both adults and children to make the space available for everyone. Brady said it is important that the space is customizable because people have different sensory preferences and needs.
“The spaces themselves are really intended to be used for all ages,” Brady said. “The design is in line with that philosophy.”
Fraser already partners with the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport’s Navigating MSP Program, which helps people with special needs during travel. The program allows people to do free practice runs of TSA security measures and explore the terminals without others around by signing up online.
Brady said customizable features in the rooms could include changing the light color and brightness or adjusting how much outside noise is heard within the space. Brady said the idea is to encourage people to use these spaces to feel more comfortable and supported in intense, stressful situations like the airport, Brady added.
“If traveling is something that is anxiety-inducing for you, now there’s a space that you can go to be able to feel calmer, hit the reset button in order to continue on with your travel,” Brady said.
Fraser named Central Roofing, an architectural company, as a partner for the project. Central Roofing spokesperson Jessica Tesdall said the two organizations have worked together in previous years to provide sensory-friendly spaces at the Minnesota State Fair.
“We view ourselves as just a community advocate and supporter of the work Fraser does,” Tesdall said.
Central Roofing has committed around $140,000 to the project over the next five years and will adapt to whatever comes next, according to Tesdall.
Brady said Fraser is able to do this partnership with the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport because of Central Roofing’s partnership and funding help. Brady added it takes partners like Central Roofing to make these sensory spaces a reality.
“We’re just really fortunate for them and that their beliefs and their values align with ours,” Brady said. “Then we’re able to keep spreading inclusivity around the state of Minnesota.”