16/01/2026
Last night our MD panel: “Beyond the Workplace: Building Neuroinclusive Environments” - a timely reminder that neuroinclusion needs to be considered far earlier in the workplace design cycle, particularly with investors.
Open-plan offices with bright lighting, noise, and constant stimulation are still extremely common, despite their impact on focus, wellbeing, and performance.
With ~15m sq ft of office space currently under construction in London and a further 20–25m sq ft expected by 2029, the opportunity to do better is significant.
Neuroinclusion already exists within current frameworks:
ISO 45001 supports the management of psychological and cognitive risk, while WELL v2 actively encourages inclusive, health-focused design.
• You can do more with existing space by making neurodiversity explicit in risk identification, and embed neurodiversity into worker participation.
• You need to translate these risk controls into the built environment - going beyond policy controls by defining environmental controls such as acoustic zoning, lighting hierarchy, clear spatial logic and way finding.
If you design, build, manage, or supply workplaces, you are already influencing mental health, safety, and performance - whether intentionally or not.
Design matters, but how people are managed and spaces are managed and used often has even greater impact.
Perhaps the biggest mindset shift:
👉 Assume neurodiversity is the norm, not the exception.
• Before design
• Before Cat B
• Before cost plans
💡What do you want this space to achieve?
thank you so much for inviting me - fantastic panel also including Daniel Johnson Chris Vallis Nicholas Winter
