Sensory-Informed Design in Practice: Learning from The Brook

Join us to explore the story of The Brook - an inpatient unit shaped by sensory-informed design to support recovery. Built to meet the needs of autistic people and individuals with a learning disability who benefit from specialist mental health care, The Brook demonstrates how a considered, sensory-informed environment can make a difference.

Rooted in co-production and therapeutic design principles, this project offers practical insights into how clinical and operational priorities can align with dignity, safety, and sensory needs. Learn how a sensory-informed approach shaped an environment where feeling safe is a core element of recovery. The design supports autonomy and therapeutic engagement while maintaining essential standards of care and safety.

The session will explore how nature-inspired materials, lighting, sound, colour, fabric, and spatial planning were all considered to reduce distress, enhance engagement, and support both patient and staff wellbeing.

Whether you’re involved in estates, capital delivery, facilities management, the design of wider environments, commissioning, have lived experience, or are a clinician, this webinar offers valuable lessons for embedding sensory-informed design across healthcare settings and beyond. 

We invite you to learn about our process of creating healing environments supported by design, guided by clinical wisdom and with genuine co-production.

If there are any queries about the topic of the event, please contact Charlotte Burrows, Chief Executive of Design in Mental Health Network: c.burrows@dimhn.org.

An agenda will be shared in due course and once you've registered, an invite for the webinar will be sent to you.

Questions about this event?

Name: Angela Metcalf

Email: england.learningdisabilityandautism-sw@nhs.net

Telephone: 07730 391 768