Sensory Richness Assessment

This work package is suitable for existing parks, gardens and open spaces, where managers and designers want to assess the range of sensory experiences their site offers, and how they can be improved upon and made more accessible.

It is also ideal where a redesign is considered, or before undertaking an access audit on a large site. The combination of access information and quality of experience information can be used to prioritise work and to focus access work on the sensory "hot-spots".

The planting scheme, landscape infrastructure and furniture and art installations will all be included in the assessment.

Benefits of the package

The package assists managers and designers to understand what sensory aspects of a location contribute to the visitor experience, and how these maybe improved upon. A solid understanding of the sensory experiences present within a site can help make the most of budgets and prioritise work.

Research has shown that sensory-rich environments are places that attract a diverse range of visitors and have benefits for disabled people - particularly those with sensory impairments such as blindness or learning disabilities. A sensory richness assessment is the first step to creating a site that will attact a more diverse audience. This in turn will help as part of an Audience Development Plan if funding is to be sought from organisations such as the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Importantly, the Sensory Trust links the sensory richness with the accessibility of the site so the final report will clearly identify where this link is successful, and where it needs improving.

A recent project to consider and develop the sensory richness of a site was The Garden at the Eden Project.

Outline of the package

One site visit and discussion with site manager/developer followed by a written illustrated report to assess-

• The existing sensory experiences of the location
• The accessibility of these sensory experiences, including identifying barriers to access
• Opportunities to enhance the existing sensory experience
• A prioritisation of these enhancements
• Identification of possible additional sensory experiences, and suggestions of ways to achieve them
• A prioritisation of these new sensory experiences
• Consideration to the short and longer term development of the site

The outputs from the package

• A written and illustrated report that clearly identifies the points listed above
• It will identify landscape infrastructure, furniture, planting, and art installations that are positively or negatively contributing to the experience
• It will identify management and maintenance practices that can enhance the existing sensory richness – for example changes in horticultural maintenance
• It will identify associated issues that influence the sensory richness of the location, for example signage

Fee guideline  - around £1500 plus expenses

If required the above package may be increased to include full planting plans and specifications and horticultural maintenance plans.

Sensory Richness Assessment can be economically combined with Access Planning.