We are delighted to share that Smart and Healthy Cities Fellows and past SEED Grant recipients Loukia Tsafoulia and Severino Alfonso have presented their immersive installation and research, Echoes, at the S+T+Arts ReSilence Exhibition at BASE Milan in October 2025.
Their work explores neurodivergent spatial experiences and reflects the Institute’s mission to advance Smart and Healthy Cities through inclusive, technology-driven design research.
Echoes is an immersive environment designed to raise awareness and foster acceptance of neurodivergent spatial experiences, creating meaningful connections between art, technology, and human perception. The installation features two interconnected spaces that respond to visitors’ movement and breathing with adaptive light and sound.
Complementing the installation is the documentary Voices: Listeners in the Noise, which shares firsthand narratives of how urban soundscapes affect autistic individuals and offers design insights for more inclusive environments.
The project was developed through the S+T+Arts ReSilence EU Residency, funded by the Horizon Europe Research & Innovation Programme.
Professors Tsafoulia and Alfonso’s early exploration of this work was supported by the Institute for Smart & Healthy Cities SEED Grant Program, which empowers Jefferson faculty to pursue interdisciplinary projects that promote healthier, more resilient urban environments.
The SEED Grants are designed to:
This work sits at the intersection of architecture, technology, and health - embodying the Institute’s vision of cities that respond to diverse human needs. By focusing on neurodiversity and sensory experience, Echoes broadens the definition of “healthy city” to include empathy, perception, and inclusivity.