Throughout the spring and summer of 2022 over 600 comments, from staff, families and customers, using full sized studio bedroom “mock up”, as a focal point, have been collected. Whilst we sought initial views around the studio bedroom’s size, basic layout and accessibility, the open and encouraging co-production engagement process, has prompted questions and recommendations ranging from the importance of storage to how we could better support personal growth.

Each response is captured and analysed by Architecture and Design Scotland together with our architects AB&C. Feedback has been broken down into 10 different categories to zone common themes, this valuable information is informing a significant part of the Design Statement document which will be presented, for further comments, to staff, families and customers in various workshops and questionnaires. This document will ultimately evolve into a Design Brief with the architects to start drafting out design options for consideration in early 2023.

In addition, the architects spent several days at Upper Springland talking to customers and staff about what’s important in their daily routines, establishing what could be better, within both the working and home environments. The architects also recorded feedback about the importance of therapies, activities, interactions with the wider community and the current service / support systems.

The focus around the mock up has initially been primarily around the use and practicalities of the space and how people would access and move around their new home. However, we are now proposing to trial and experiment with different features and personalisation such as furniture, colours and assistive technologies.

Given the open design located in part of our existing theatre space, there is also the opportunity to host discussions and even enjoy drama sessions to allow residents to better express their feelings about a new home and a move from Upper Springland.

Co-production work with the mock-up is an ongoing and will evolve until all design and service elements have been shared and opinions logged. We will continue to instruct contractors to alter the mock-up based on this process.