Key design considerations

Ensuring your project reaches its full potential

Design considerations

Early cost and carbon modelling to help inform feasibility

Our national cost managers, carbon consultants and supply chain can provide accurate and detailed cost and carbon advice from the earliest stages of projects to help inform feasibility studies, justify funding bids and ensure a low carbon design can be delivered.

Safety and Security
We have established long-term relationships with a specialist supply chain for secure doors and fenestration. We are familiar with each of the different systems and what type of product works best in each location.

This will ensure your building users are safe and secure in the facilities we deliver. Access control systems are carefully designed to maintain the safety and security of all building users.

Robustness
This needs to be carefully balanced with the need for spaces to also feel homely and therapeutic, so we have a range of proven, multi-purpose products that we know work well in these environments.

Superstructure
A common thread through all inclusive environments, which we carefully balance with our expert designers is the buildability, cost and programme requirements. Our teams have the data on a range of solutions that can be quickly assessed to arrive at the optimum solution for each project.

Furniture, fixtures and equipment
Working with our specialist designers, we create inspirational and engaging spaces for young people, using tried and tested products that are robust, safe and comfortable.

Finishes and colours
Our supply chain help us to innovate, and we have undertaken research with our paint suppliers to develop specialist colour palettes proven to inspire learning, improve health outcomes and de-escalate volatile situations.

Bringing the outdoors, indoors
We use biophilic design principles in our designs to connect building users with nature; something that can be highly therapeutic and calming. We create inspirational external spaces with room for sport, play and relaxation.

Our in-house design experts are working with the Department for Education to develop best practice and design guides for SEND and Secure Children’s Homes and our Health sector team advise the NHS on best practice in mental healthcare design.