Karndean Commercial, a trusted supplier of luxury vinyl flooring, is set to showcase the power
of inclusive design at Clerkenwell Design Week 2025 with its immersive installation, Designing
for the Senses. This thought-provoking exhibit will highlight how neurodiverse design can
create environments that cater to a wide range of cognitive and sensory needs.
The UK’s leading design festival, to be held in London’s famous design district on 20-22 May,
CDW25 is a must attend event in the industry’s annual calendar and is set to feature the latest
design developments, leading brands and emerging talent.
Renowned for its design innovation, Karndean Commercial will be demonstrating how their
portfolio of products can support a more inclusive built environment. through a thought
provoking installation at its Clerkenwell Green showroom. Featuring a blend of quiet relaxing
neutrals and bold stimulating patterns supporting neurodivergent individuals experiencing
hypersensitivity and hyposensitivity respectively, the installation demonstrates how designing
for the senses can celebrate difference and improve lived experience for everyone.
Richard Allen, commercial sales director at Karndean Commercial, said: “One in seven people
in the UK identify as neurodivergent and experience the world in ways that can vary greatly
from neurotypical individuals. Neurodiverse conditions include autism, dyslexia, dyscalculia,
and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In addition, an increasing number of
people are living with neurodegenerative conditions such as dementia and Parkinson’s
disease.
“As designers of the built environment, shaping people’s day to day experiences, we have a
responsibility to ensure that all users feel comfortable through the creation of inclusive
environments where those who experience and process the world differently are recognised
and where every individual will feel comfortable. Hypersensitive and hyposensitive design are
essential considerations in creating neuro-inclusive environments that cater to individuals
with different sensory processing needs, creating environments that benefit the wellbeing of
everyone.”
The British Standards Institution introduced guidelines for designing inclusive environments in
- PAS 6463 Design for the Mind: Neurodiversity and the Built Environment Through the
Different Elements of Sensory Perception presents detailed guidance on how to
accommodate for neurodiverse needs through the consideration of sensory needs, from
lighting and acoustics to thermal comfort and wayfinding.
Flooring is one of the largest continuous surfaces in a space so its design and material choices
can play a pivotal role in creating neuro-inclusive environments. Karndean flooring is designed
to authentically reproduce the natural beauty of the world’s most precious woods and stones
and so is ideal for creating a biophilic look to complement either calming or stimulating
interiors, but without the time consuming maintenance requirements of natural materials.
Karndean’s RIBA approved CPD seminar, Designing Neuro-Inclusive Environments with
Flooring, investigates how neurodiversity and neurodegenerative conditions can be
accommodated in the built environment by catering to various sensory and neurological
processing differences. The key topics covered by the seminar include the British Standards
Institution guidelines PAS 6463 and its implications for architecture and interior design, how a
selection of real life projects puts this theory into practice and how neuro-inclusive spaces
can support the latest fire safety regulations and facilitate evacuation in an emergency
situation.
Richard Allen explained: “We’ll be running a taster of our latest RIBA approved CPD seminar
during this year’s CDW festival. The session is ideal for anyone looking to understand how
individuals with neurodiversity conditions experience interiors and learn how to create
thoughtful spaces that allow everyone to thrive.
“Having attended the seminar, designers and specifiers will be able to confidently consult with
neurodiverse user groups and stakeholder communities, learn about their lived experience
and so fully involve them in the design process, resulting in a superior outcome. We are
already taking bookings for our neurodiversity CPD and encourage you to secure your place
early, as we expect high demand following this year’s festival”
Karndean Commercial’s Clerkenwell Green showroom will be open throughout CDW25, 20-22
May. Visitors will be able to explore the flexibility of Karndean flooring and meet with
dedicated commercial specification managers. Register for your pass at
clerkenwelldesignweek.com
To find out more and register your interest for the Designing Neuro-Inclusive Environments
seminar visit karndean.com/cpd.