Future Leaders Manchester: Trauma Informed Design
Host: Gareth Banks, Director – Healthcare, AHR Architects
Chair: Linda Jordan, Associate Director, Healthcare Sector Lead, DAY Architectural
Speakers:
- Professor Victoria Halliwell, Pro Vice Chancellor and Dean, Professor of Industry Collaboration in Health Care Education, School of Health and Society, University of Salford
- Stefan Harris, Associate, AHR Architects
Event Report and Resources
Across many building types, we still prioritise efficiency, compliance and output. Yet for the people who use them every day, how a place feels is just as important as how it functions. Noise, lighting, layout and a lack of clarity can quietly increase stress, reduce confidence and make everyday interactions more demanding than they need to be. Trauma-informed design applies principles from trauma-informed care to the built environment. It recognises that spaces shape how safe people feel, how much control they experience, how easily they connect with others and how supported they feel emotionally. By designing for psychological safety, sensory comfort and choice, we can create places that support people through a wide range of lived experiences, not just those who identify with trauma. Discover more about applying TID in practice: https://www.ahr.co.uk/trauma-informed-design-in-practice
