Henrietta Walters Joins Roundtable on EDIB in Hospitality
Henrietta Walters, Principal at GA Architects, was recently invited to take part in a high-level industry roundtable hosted by Material Source Studio in London, exploring what genuinely inclusive design looks like in hospitality settings, and what it means to go beyond mere compliance.
The session, titled EDIB: What does beyond bare minimum look like in hospitality settings?, brought together senior professionals from across the built environment – from architects and interior designers to client-side operators and suppliers – to consider a provocative central question: if all legal compliance and regulations were removed tomorrow, would inclusive design still remain a priority?
Henrietta brought a distinctive perspective to the discussion, drawing on GA Architects’ long-standing expertise in designing for autism and neurodiversity: work that has been central to the practice since the 1990s. She spoke to the practical and procedural realities of protecting inclusive design through the construction process, noting the particular challenge that arises when local authority projects are handed over after RIBA Stage 4, at which point control over specification is often relinquished. Her approach at GA Architects is to engage all stakeholders from feasibility through to Stage 4, ensuring that the principles behind inclusive design decisions are understood and preserved, not value-engineered away.
Henrietta also highlighted the importance of engaging the full range of stakeholders in any project – not just end users, but also management, teaching staff, and even cleaning teams, whose practical needs are frequently overlooked. She stressed that thorough Operations & Maintenance documentation only has value if those responsible for a building actually use it, and that inclusive features such as specialist flooring or acoustic materials must be accompanied by clear guidance on maintenance from the outset.
On the language around inclusivity, Henrietta offered a characteristically direct view: terms like ‘neurodiverse-friendly’ can obscure rather than clarify design intent. At GA Architects, the preferred framing is ‘low arousal’ environments – a term rooted in evidence and practice that describes the sensory and spatial qualities that support wellbeing for a wide range of people, not just those with diagnosed conditions.
The roundtable also touched on colour theory in designing for autism. Henrietta referenced a collaborative study with Kingston University which found that a pastel palette – matt, unpatterned, and non-reflective – works best for people with autism. She challenged the longstanding convention of using primary colours in schools, noting that for many children, highly saturated environments can be overwhelming rather than stimulating.
The discussion was chaired by David Smalley, Director at Material Source Studio, and featured guests from Gensler, TP Bennett, OBM International, Faber and Company, Cheval Collection, Loop Interiors, Oktra, and Parkside Architectural Tiles. The full write-up is available on the Material Source website.