ROUND TABLE REVIEW: EXPLORING SOLUTIONS FOR INCLUSIVE & SENSORY DESIGN IN EDUCATION
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to design team meetings, reviewing drawings. We can help the architects develop the brief for inclusion.”
Jean Hewitt said she had recently attended a discussion around RIBA Design Stages and the importance of including the role of the Inclusive Design champion, but that this was not happening as standard on projects. She added that “designers with humility will be more open to listening to others.” Terry White said I think that early intervention at the front end of the design process at the formulation of the concept stage, is really critical.” Adding “It’s not diffi cult it requires a well-structured collaborative process with the school setting out key design indicators for the intended next practice.” Delegates explained why the best designs for integrating SEND are likely to be those which closely involve users, i.e. neurodivergent and SEND students and pupils, as well as their parents, carers and teaching staff. Tamsin Thomas and Kathryn Gundry stressed the need for early engagement and continuous feedback from teachers and students to achieve designs closely tailored to needs.
Codesign of this sort needs to happen early in projects to be effective – Dawn Scott, Senior Colour Designer at Dulux, highlighted the importance of engaging colour expertise from the earliest stages of design, particularly in sensitive environments where wellbeing and inclusivity are key. “Too often, colour input is sought once the design is complete – almost as a fi nal ‘check’ rather than part of the creative process,” she commented. “At that stage, it often means unpicking decisions that could have been better informed by early collaboration.” Terry White said: “I think that early intervention right at the front
end, even at the concept level, is really critical.” Adding, “It’s not diffi cult to get that done early.”
Data-informed design
Dr Matteo Zallio from the University of Cambridge (and a former global lead of accessibility and research scientist at Autodesk), delved into the arena of data-informed (not ‘data driven’) design. However, he warned that as sectors like education and construction increasingly rely on evidence, a persistent bottleneck remains: “We still struggle to combine hard metrics with lived experience in a meaningful way.”
Zallio stressed the urgency of creating systems that seamlessly aggregate multiple data sources, from CAD/BIM fi les to sensor inputs, so that designers can work with “cohesive, actionable insights rather than fragmented datasets.”
But he cautioned that while we capture plenty of technical information, we still lack consistent data on attitudes and behaviours, the human side of how people actually use spaces like schools. “Sometimes we have it,” he noted, “but often we don’t, and that gap limits our ability to truly design for occupants.” Zallio said that “levelling up understanding and application of regulations” to go beyond mandatory standards meant expert input. He expressed a hope shared by many in the room: that “one day we won’t need the word ‘inclusive’ at all, we’ll simply say ‘design,’ because inclusivity will fi nally be embedded from the start.”
DATA ENTERS THE CHAT
Dr Matteo Zallio advocated ‘data-informed’ (as opposed to ‘data driven’) design for SEN spaces in the mainstream
Design elements: Floors & colour The enlightened fi rms who are tapping into this high demand with thoughtful offerings and support for clients are reaping the rewards, said Matteo Zallio of the University of Cambridge: “Making products – either physical or digital – that are inclusive and accessible is a great competitive advantage for the businesses developing them.” Delegates such as Kathryn Gundry said that simple approaches such as colour wayfi nding using fl oor colours could be ideal for such integrated education environments to support children and young people with anxiety. With fl oors and colour forming the largest visual and physical surfaces in any classroom, they both play a critical role in supporting pupils with special educational needs. As SEN integration increases, suppliers are increasingly being approached for design guidance and product advice. Laura Light of Interface observed that despite a wide colour offer, “we still sell a lot of grey carpet.” She and Dawn Scott of Dulux both questioned how architects prioritise fi nishes during the specifi cation process – prompting Tamsin Thomas to note that decisions often begin with whichever product category has the most limited range, such as acoustic rafts or baffl es.
Despite the overwhelming impact that the ‘wrong’ colour and pattern choices can have in school environments for SEN pupils, delegates said the choices around fi nishes were left as an afterthought in many projects. Terry White said there was a “massive amount of research on colours,” and that “it’s really easy to denote areas in a subtle way.” However, he said the opportunity to work closely with staff on this was underused. Dawn Scott of Dulux noted that wall colour had a major impact on such spaces: “Paint is often one of the last elements to be applied, but one of the fi rst that defi nes how a space feels.” She also encouraged a move away from the dominance of stark white and grey palettes in schools, explaining that in some sectors, such as custodial environments, the use of pure brilliant white is actively avoided due to its potential to heighten sensory strain and feelings of discomfort.
ADF SEPTEMBER 2025
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