Pedder & Scampton have transformed two dilapidated former community buildings on a shared site into a new campus for Haringey residents with autism and complex learning disabilities and a support hub for Aspergers. The design was a collaborative effort including input from experts, carers, and service users’ families lived experiences, combined with Pedder & Scampton’s specialist design knowledge. 

The works create a landmark for the community; retrofitting and re using existing buildings on a tight budget to make two new facilities with a variety of welcoming and accessible spaces.

This project provides good quality design and appropriate detailing for a user group whose needs are generally not prioritised. The process from feasibility to end of construction included detailed collaborative consultation with service users’ families and the service provision team to understand their aspirations and needs for the new spaces.

The brief required a design that was inclusive, had a distinctive non institutional character, both quiet and lively colour schemes, and that connected the two separate buildings on the site to form a united campus. A range of room sizes and types were requested that could be adjusted by the staff to create differing ‘moods’ to suit users’ sensory needs on any given day. The layouts also needed to be logical and clear with the appropriate ‘pause’ and retreat locations typically needed by this user group.

Pedder & Scampton brought specialist knowledge of this user group to both layouts, specification, detailing and monitoring delivery during construction. 
The client says ‘The end result of all of this steering, design and leadership is an amazing campus which is welcoming to our neurodiverse residents and empowering to everyone supported.’

The project, now named the Chad Gordon campus, brings former community buildings back into use, providing new in-Borough support and life skills training to local neurodiverse residents. 

The main entrance incorporates graphics inspired by local artist Lucy Brennan who attends Artbox London, a social enterprise empowering local artists with learning difficulties. 

The limited budget covered building repairs/improvements, services upgrades, safety and safeguarding systems, and the new layouts and finishes. Pedder and Scampton applied their expertise to meet common issues that arise with autism

Andreas Ruby