A new hub has opened at the Salford Institute for Dementia, acting as a ‘nerve centre’ for research, education and engagement.
Faithful+Gould, working in partnership with University of Salford’s estates team, recently completed work on the facility, which was designed by DAY Architectural, with ISE acting as mechanical and electrical services contractor.
Committed to being ‘dementia friendly,’ the university’s institute is engaged in research and education to support the design and care for people living with dementia.
Small, but key, design decisions make an enormous difference to the success of such a project
Faithful+Gould was tasked with creating a new social space which will support people with the condition, while also acting as a support network for carers.
Consultation workshops resulted in the development of a scheme to reduce stress and ease decision-making, while also encouraging independence and social integration.
“This has been an incredibly-exciting project to work on,” says Faithful+Gould project manager, George McDonough.
“I’ve been seconded to the university’s estates department and it has been fascinating to see how important stakeholder engagement has been in the project’s success, with feedback from people living with dementia as well as their carers.
“Small, but key, design decisions make an enormous difference to the success of such a project.”
To support people with dementia, design interventions include wayfinding markings to help with navigation, domestic styling to encourage a homely feel, and external ground markings leading from the car park to the inside space.
Elsewhere, the floors avoid any coverings featuring patterns or shiny materials, and finishes to furniture use bright and contrasting colours; while in the kitchen the cupboards have vision panels and there are dementia-friendly appliances.
