๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ถ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐ถ๐ด๐ด๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ผ ๐ถ๐ป๐ฐ๐น๐๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ด๐ป ๐ถ๐๐ป’๐ ๐ฎ ๐น๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐๐ ๐ฒ๐พ๐๐ถ๐ฝ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ธ๐ป๐ผ๐๐น๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ด๐ฒ, ๐ฏ๐๐ ๐ฎ ๐น๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป? ๐๐ป๐ฑ ๐ต๐ผ๐ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐, ๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ธ๐ป๐ผ๐๐น๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ด๐ฒ, ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ป๐๐ฒ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ด๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฎ๐ ๐ถ๐ณ ๐๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐น๐น ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฎ ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด๐น๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐ ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ?
Last week, Emma Greenland and Eduardo Manzano Fontecha attended Neuroplaces 2026 as part of Shoreditch Design Week joining conversations around neuroinclusive, sensory and human-centred design.
A recurring message throughout both days was that truly inclusive design starts with listening, engaging and understanding individual needs, rather than relying on assumptions or one-size-fits-all solutions.
Some of our key takeaways included:
๐น Needs-led design, not diagnosis-led design
Prof. Prof. Amanda Kirby MBBS MRCGP PhD FCGI FRSA ๐ข highlighted the importance of reducing barriers and sources of friction, recognising that people experience and interact with environments in different ways.
๐น Never assume user experience
Several speakers reinforced that every person’s relationship with a space is unique. Inclusive design is most effective when informed by direct engagement, observation and lived experience.
๐น Sensory mapping is becoming increasingly important
From the Royal Albert Hall to education settings and workplaces, sensory mapping featured prominently throughout the conference. Understanding how people experience spaces through all their senses can help create environments that are more comfortable, accessible and effective.
๐น The value of soundscape thinking
For us, it was encouraging to see growing recognition of sensory considerations beyond traditional compliance measures. We have increasingly incorporated soundscape mapping into our education projects to better understand the listening experience across school environments
๐น Biophilic and neuroinclusive design are closely linked
Oliver Heath‘s keynote explored the relationship between biophilia and human-centred design.
๐น Inclusive design extends across all sectors
Whether discussing transport, education, workplaces, public spaces or residential developments, the principles remained consistent: understand users, engage early and design with people rather than for them.
A particular highlight was learning more about Auracastย and Transport for London‘s pilot work on the London bus network, alongside discussions on autism-inclusive design principles, sensory regulation and the role of quiet or “perch” spaces within the built environment.
Perhaps the strongest message from the event was that acoustics, lighting, landscape, architecture and interior design cannot be considered in isolation. The most successful spaces emerge when disciplines work together and when user experience is embedded in the design process from the outset.
Thank you to the Neuroplaces team for bringing together such a thought-provoking programme, and to everyone we met and spoke with throughout the event. We left feeling energised by the conversations and encouraged by the growing momentum behind evidence-based, neuroinclusive design.
Read more about Emma and Eduardo‘s own reflections on their LinkedIN posts they shared after the event.
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