Creating Calming Spaces, Through Sensory Informed Design.
The Environmental Hub
The Environmental Hub is a space to share knowledge and learning on how to create sensory informed environments. For those with heightened sensory awareness, interior design is especially important, poor interior choices can be extremely stressful. Whether it is in a hospital, office or home, simple considerations can have a huge impact on how we feel and support access.
The Environmental Task and finish group was set up by NHS England South West Learning Disability and Autism team with the aim of providing the best possible environments for people across all settings. Liz Lavender an Interior Designer and expert by experience alongside Nathan Brassington from NHSE with the support of a task and finish group and industry professionals have created The Environmental Hub website. The Hub is focused on a ‘how to’ for each design element with simple guidance to support creating therapeutic sensory informed interiors.
Knowing where to start can be overwhelming, The Hub gives an overview of each element to support an understanding of how it can impact an interior, understanding how each element impacts our senses is key to creating therapeutic environments. Sensory neutral is a good place to start, feeling safe is fundamental, everyone is different, individual preferences can be developed.
Quietly observe, become a sensory detective, become aware of the elements and the impact they have. We would all love to have a magic wand and a big budget, individual informed choices make a difference. If every time a hospital as an example is painted matt paint in the right colour it will have a positive impact. If every time light fittings are updated, or bulbs are changed they are warm white and can be dimmed it will have a positive impact. It is important to consider the finishes, matt will absorb light and not reflect it, sound absorbing panels can be used in most environments in particularly noisy areas. Beware visual clutter, every change of colour and texture adds visual noise, kept within a specific area it can be less overwhelming. With an understanding of each element to inform specification, we can all support positive change.
Frustration can often come from the words ‘we always use this’ - products have developed, matt paints are now scrubbable and easily touched up. New generation fabrics are available which have antibacterial properties, soft to the touch and extremely hard wearing. Working alongside estates departments, infection control and clinical teams in a collaborative way supports an understanding of the challenges to develop a solution.
Our interior environments impact us all, reference nature along with an understanding how each element affects us is the key to positive change. The Environmental Hub supports an understanding of each element to inform how to create safe therapeutic environments both, small well considered design can make a difference.
Space Planning
Every change of colour, texture, pattern, noise and light should be considered when creating a safe space.
Take a look through our space planning guide