Centre for Accessible Environments (CAE)

The Centre for Accessible Environments (CAE) has been a leader in inclusive design for over 50 years. Our mission is to drive greater accessibility and inclusivity of all buildings and environments so that everyone, everywhere, is genuinely part of an inclusive society.

With accredited access consultants, CAE supports design teams, developers, statutory bodies and organisations to plan and deliver inclusive environments and meet their duties under the Equality Act 2010. Our clients include the public sector, charities, arts, cultural and heritage organisations, as well as corporate, retail, housing and commercial, making us one of the leading providers of access expertise, both in the UK and globally.

Our aim is to ensure environments can be accessed, used, and enjoyed by everyone – our pan disability approach bringing an understanding of a wide range of user needs, including physical and sensory, and including neurodiversity. We want communities to include disabled people by providing the highest levels of independence, choice, and control over their daily life, offering places to live, work, relax and play.

The principles of inclusive design generally state:

Place people at the heart of the design process
Acknowledge human diversity and difference
Offer dignity, autonomy, choice and spontaneity

Offering dignity, autonomy, choice and spontaneity means that everyone is offered the same opportunity at the same time, with an equitable approach allowing for, and even celebrating, difference.

Acknowledging human diversity and difference means that everyone is protected by legislation and standards and their needs are considered.

Placing all people at the heart of just about anything simply makes sense!

Support Type

Artforms supported

Operates in

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