‘At the heart of eye health innovation’, a state-of-the-art new centre for advancing eye health is taking shape — with the new building being created for Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in London’s Camden. Oriel is a joint initiative — a partnership between Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, and Moorfields Eye Charity, which will see services move from current premises near Old Street, Islington, to St Pancras in Camden, London. Due to open in 2027, the new centre is an opportunity to create a world-leading centre for advancing eye health, harnessing the expertise of the partners under one roof to enable delivery of the highest quality care, research, and education.
Designed with the most intricate of details, the eye care centre focuses solely on its users, and caters for everyone’s needs and abilities. Arcadis was appointed by Bouygues as the delivery architect to test and develop Oriel’s design aspirations from RIBA Stage 3. Advances in technology grant us visualisation of a space before its physical existence, and for those with sight loss, this progression allows for active participation in the design process, and for the creation of spaces to become possible. This has very much been the case on this project.
A ‘huge dependence’ on visual representation
When proposing any architectural design to potential users, there is a huge dependence on visual representation. Materials such as 2D drawings, digital renders, computer-aided design models (CAD), and even virtual reality immersive experiences, are heavily relied on by architects to portray their designs. When the users have different visual accessibility requirements, this becomes a challenge, but with the capabilities of technology, the 3D models of today are more than just massing blocks of a design.
Oriel has taken a forward-thinking approach and set up an Oriel advisory group, made up of patients, staff, and partners, and ran a series of engagement sessions at various points in the design journey. The Oriel team commissioned tactile materials to help Oriel advisory group members with sight loss to understand the building design so they could make valuable recommendations. The design engagement sessions became a platform for group participants where they are able to feel a space, and navigate room layout and the contours of the building through physical touch of the proposed environment.
This tactile experience, facilitated through 3D printed models and textured floorplans, was hosted at the Oriel advisory group event in June 2023, and in a three-day design workshop in autumn 2023. A series of models was presented at differing scales to explain both the context and architectural detail of the new centre. These models showcased the exterior of the building, while tactile textures demonstrated the different materials and surfaces used in the design.
One of the architects and patient engagement leads at Arcadis, Charles Stokes, highlighted the June event’s success, noting that ‘representatives attending, who previously faced significant challenges understanding the building through two-dimensional drawings, emphasised how important the session was in enhancing their understanding of the new centre’s design’.
Benefits of using 3D tools
The event truly emphasised the benefits of using 3D tools to assist users with sight loss in successfully comprehending a space. In the three-day Oriel advisory group design workshop engagement event later in the year, the focus was on interior design. Various materials and additional models were introduced to support the different design discussions. This included a full stacking model that was not included in the initial patient engagement events. Users could physically take apart each floor of the building, to get a better understanding of how the different areas of the building fit together as one.
Floorplans were printed on large format paper using specialised raised, touch-sensitive ink, allowing users to explore the building’s layout through a touch-feel experience. Additionally, A3 boards at a 1:25 scale showcased four key waiting areas with co-located toilets, demonstrating the flexibility in seating arrangements for both standard chairs and wheelchairs. Printed sheets enhanced with tactile materials and labelling assisted the users in independently navigating the floorplans alongside the larger-scale models.
Using 3D printed models and tools accompanied by suitable textures provides a tangible representation of the proposed spatial dimensions, reflecting a real-life experience. 3D printing of furniture, people, and guide dogs, supported discussions, and further enhanced this part of the design process. Bright printing colours were used for visual depth and colour contrast aiding. High-contrast colours such as orange and blue figures create clear distinctions between different architectural elements, making it easier for people with sight loss to identify walls and furniture items within a physical model.
Valuable feedback
Architects received valuable feedback from individuals sharing their lived experience of sight loss on the spatial requirements and personal space preferences; primarily this was from users interacting with the people and guide dog figures in spaces such as the 1:20 models of toilets — which included both disabled and unisex variants. This ensures that the architectural designs are both suitable and comfortable for the users.
In addition, tactile tape marked out physical spaces of different rooms on the floor, providing a life-size sense of scale and layout. Users were able to physically interact with the individual spaces, enhancing their understanding of different room proportions and circulation paths in a way that traditional two-dimensional drawings or digital models could not. Key spaces — such as the external dog relief area, and consultation rooms — were marked out. This facilitated further collaborative discussions on spatial preferences, and users were able to suggest modifications based on their experience.
To enhance material selection, various wall and flooring samples were provided, allowing for a touch-feel experience. This hands-on approach enabled users with sight loss to engage with the different textures and finishes, ensuring that materials were functional through touch, and suitable for aiding cane orientation through spaces.
For cane users, flooring samples played a crucial role in differentiating areas within the space. Large vinyl samples were included to demonstrate the contrast between tactile and non-tactile surfaces, in areas such as waiting areas and corridors. This distinction is essential in guiding movement through the building, and reinforcing the wayfinding strategies.
A Corten steel sample was provided, introducing discussions about material choices for the designated dog relief areas. The robust and weathered characteristics of Corten create a very distinguished and identifiable surface, allowing guide dog users to effortlessly find this outdoor functional area.
The integration of a variety of materials not only supported inclusive design decision making, but also highlighted the importance of sensory engagement in architectural planning for an eye specialist facility. When users have limited sight, utilising touch and feel senses is the most effective way for architects to convey their designs.
Responses from participants have so far been ‘overwhelmingly positive’, with these 3D methods proving an invaluable tool for comprehending the new centre’s layout. This allows users with sight loss to better navigate an environment that is built for them — with the confidence that their feedback from engaging in user meetings has been taken on board.
Value of ‘hands-on’ interaction
The feedback from participants has highlighted the value of hands-on, in-person interaction with various 3D tools in understanding the new centre’s layout. Through physical exploration of different scale models, tactile floor markings, and material samples, users can form a clear mental map of the space. This will be beneficial not only for feedback purposes, but also for navigation of the eye centre, helping them navigate with greater ease and confidence.
The opportunities presented in these meetings foster both collaboration and inclusivity. The perspectives of staff, patients, and the sight loss community, are not lost, but are actively considered throughout the design process. When those in attendance observe their feedback being implemented, it provides them with confidence that the space is being developed with their needs in mind, ultimately creating a more user-friendly atmosphere. This approach empowers visually impaired individuals by giving them a direct voice in shaping the built environment.
A high-profile project like Oriel has the potential to stand as a powerful precedent for user engagement, particularly within the sight loss community. By showcasing how technology can bridge accessibility gaps and inequalities in architectural design, it highlights the importance of inclusive practices, and serves as a model for future projects. Such initiatives reinforce the idea that design ought to be a collaborative process, in which end-users, irrespective of their abilities, actively participate in the designing of their environments.
This project showcases how innovative tools can redefine accessibility in ways that traditional 2D drawings, written descriptions, or verbal explanations, simply cannot do otherwise. For individuals with sight loss, touch and spatial interaction are the most effective means of perceiving and understanding an environment. The use of 3D printed models and other tools allows the visually impaired individuals to navigate on their own terms, providing an empowering experience for them, rather than relying on verbal interpretations from others.
‘Seeing’ a space through touch and feel of the 3D models
The advancements in 3D modelling have allowed those who experience sight loss to ‘see’ a space through touch and feel of the 3D models; engaging in the space on their own terms. This provides user comfort, knowing that such experiences help architectural teams to establish a deeper connection into better understanding life for those they are designing for.
For design teams, these patient engagement events are invaluable learning opportunities. By engaging in direct conversations with users, and carefully observing how they interact with different 3D tools, architects and designers gain a deeper and profound empathetic understanding of how spaces can be successfully designed for inclusion and accessibility. This interaction promotes a more comprehensive design approach, ensuring that accessibility is at the forefront, and not treated as an afterthought.
Oriel reinforces the idea that when technology and user engagement intersect, barriers can be broken, leading to the creation of fully accessible environments that empower, support, and enhance the lives of all individuals. Including users in the design process is an essential part of a successful outcome, and with 3D printed models, touch-sensitive floorplans, and careful consideration of material samples, this is possible. A testament to the powers of modern-day technology.
Acknowledgement
- Jessica Whincop thanks Charles Stokes, a Studio director at Arcadis, for his help and guidance in producing this article.
Jessica Whincop
Jessica Whincop is an Architectural designer at Arcadis’ Architecture and Urbanism division. She worked closely with the team on Project Oriel, in partnership with Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, and Moorfields Eye Charity. Jessica has been an influential member of the Arcadis team since joining the business over two and a half years ago, and has worked on some notable healthcare projects across the UK – including her main project, ‘Oriel: A Moorfields Eye Hospital’, which has a 2027 completion date. She is passionate about designing easily accessible and innovative buildings for the healthcare sector. Arcadis has various healthcare projects across the United Kingdom.