Inclusive Spaces and Places
Too often, the built environment presents huge challenges to people with physical and hidden disabilities, preventing many from engaging in simple everyday activities and excluding them from opportunities.
1 in 4 people in the UK are disabled, and we have a rapidly aging population. Many more face other barriers in navigating buildings and public spaces.
Inclusive design - creating buildings and environments which welcome everyone, regardless of their characteristics or identity - has significant potential societal and other benefits.
By enabling all those that interact with buildings and spaces to feel welcome, the industry can further futureproof the built environment. Taking action could also quadruple customer bases; address business ESG objectives and unlock a wider talent pool.
Alongside those with lived experience, Grosvenor and The Crown Estate have investigated the need for, and impact of, a more inclusive built environment. Together we have created tools to address common knowledge, technical and organisational barriers to inclusive design.
We are committed to enacting the report's recommendations in full and working alongside peers in the industry to drive positive change.
Our five commitments
Collaborate
Work with other industry partners through a community of practice that ensures accessibility and inclusive design are understood and considered across the built environment for both new and existing buildings as well as public realm.
Listen to and involve lived experience
Understand and engage with current and future users of buildings and spaces who have lived experience across a range of characteristics.
Measure
Measure and understand the level of accessibility for existing buildings and spaces to inform key interventions across your portfolio.
Communicate
Provide better information on the level of accessibility of existing buildings and spaces so people can feel more confident using them.
Exceed
Go beyond building regulations by introducing an inclusive design brief, developed with people with diverse lived experiences, to create more rigorous standards for developments of all sizes.
Meet Michelle and Alan
Michelle and Alan have been married for 18 years, and between them experience both visible and invisible disability. Commenting on their participation in our workshops, Michelle had this to say:
“The lack of truly inclusive spaces can make you feel like a second-class citizen. It’s refreshing to find organisations that are actually listening to the experiences of people in the real world, and going out of their way to make practical changes that have a positive impact”.
Michelle and Alan have been married for 18 years, and between them experience both visible and invisible disability. Commenting on their participation in our workshops, Michelle had this to say:
“The lack of truly inclusive spaces can make you feel like a second-class citizen. It’s refreshing to find organisations that are actually listening to the experiences of people in the real world, and going out of their way to make practical changes that have a positive impact”.
Case Study: Fivefields
Inclusive office design
In creating a hub for charities and social impact organisations, we set out to build a space with exceptional environmental performance that places inclusive design at its heart.
The listed building facade restricted potential options for alteration, but the redevelopment aims to overcome this constraint through a range of creative inclusive design measures, including:
Step-free access to building.
Similar and replicated layouts to improve wayfinding and maintain consistency.
Acoustic dampening elements and natural materials to reduce echo and improve sensory environment.
Artwork tested by people with lived experience of neurodiversity.
Staff trained to support visually impaired visitors.
“My son, awaiting an autism diagnosis, has never been so relaxed in a new place. This was all thanks to the welcoming and accessible design of the building.”
- Building Visitor
Find out more here.
